`CVE-2026-33557` Apache Kafka

Affected software	Apache Kafka
Severity	9.1 Critical CVSS 3.1 2 scores
Fixed in	`4.1.2`
Weakness	CWE-1285
Published	20 Apr 2026
Updated	26 Oct 2026

Description

A possible security vulnerability has been identified in Apache Kafka. By default, the broker property sasl.oauthbearer.jwt.validator.class is set to org.apache.kafka.common.security.oauthbearer.DefaultJwtValidator. It accepts any JWT token without validating its signature, issuer, or audience. An attacker can generate a JWT token from any issuer with the preferred_username set to any user, and the broker will accept it. We advise the Kafka users using kafka v4.1.0 or v4.1.1 to set the config sasl.oauthbearer.jwt.validator.class to org.apache.kafka.common.security.oauthbearer.BrokerJwtValidator explicitly to avoid this vulnerability. Since Kafka v4.1.2 and v4.2.0 and later, the issue is fixed and will correctly validate the JWT token.

CWE-303

Exploitation status

No public exploit

No exploit has been reported in the sources we check.

CISA KEV not listed
VulnCheck KEV not listed
CISA Vulnrichment exploitation: none
Indexed PoC none indexed
EPSS 0.90% chance in 30 days

Waratek protection

No exploit published

Within Waratek scope. In the sources we check, nobody has published exploit code for this CVE or reported it being exploited.

A public code fix exists: apache/kafka 01d8e7d.

Protection none
Action unverified
Review automated Upstream data
Record active

Decided by	Exploit code for this candidate, published in a reviewed catalogue or a GitHub repository with 5 or more stars, or in use per CISA or VulnCheck; not only a CISA verdict, a forecast, or nothing at all
Finding	This CVE is not listed in CISA KEV or VulnCheck KEV, CISA Vulnrichment records no active exploitation, no reviewed exploit catalogue carries an entry for it, and no GitHub PoC repository for it has 5 or more stars. Nobody has published exploit code worth tracing, so it is not a candidate for a rule ahead of the ones where somebody has; an upstream fix path does exist, so the remediation half of the candidacy still holds. This is a statement about what has been published, not about whether the defect is reachable or serious.
Candidate fix	https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2459739 : a Red Hat bug: the triage, which links onward to the fix

Decided by

Exploit code for this candidate, published in a reviewed catalogue or a GitHub repository with 5 or more stars, or in use per CISA or VulnCheck; not only a CISA verdict, a forecast, or nothing at all

Finding

This CVE is not listed in CISA KEV or VulnCheck KEV, CISA Vulnrichment records no active exploitation, no reviewed exploit catalogue carries an entry for it, and no GitHub PoC repository for it has 5 or more stars. Nobody has published exploit code worth tracing, so it is not a candidate for a rule ahead of the ones where somebody has; an upstream fix path does exist, so the remediation half of the candidacy still holds. This is a statement about what has been published, not about whether the defect is reachable or serious.

Candidate fix

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2459739 : a Red Hat bug: the triage, which links onward to the fix

CVSS

9.1 CRITICAL v3.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N 2 metrics

We show the highest score from the newest CVSS version. Scores from different versions can't be compared, and the first score listed is sometimes a 0.0 placeholder.

Version Score Band Vector Assigner Type

CVSS 3.1 9.1 CRITICAL CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N CISA-ADP Secondary published

CVSS 3.1 8.6 HIGH CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:L redhat-SADP Secondary

Version	Score	Band	Vector	Assigner	Type
CVSS 3.1	9.1	CRITICAL	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`	CISA-ADP	Secondary	published
CVSS 3.1	8.6	HIGH	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:L`	redhat-SADP	Secondary

Affected software and releases

Oracle advisories

Advisory	Type	Quarter	Products Oracle names in its risk matrix
Oracle Critical Patch Update July 2026 ↗	CPU	2026-Q3	Oracle Communications / Install (Apache Kafka) (25.1.200, 25.2.100) Oracle Communications / Platform (Apache Kafka) (15.0.0.0.0, 15.0.1.0.0, 15.1.0.0.0, 15.2.0.0.0) Oracle Communications / Third Party (Apache Kafka) (7.5.0, 7.5.1, 7.6.0, 7.7.0, 7.8.0, 8.0.1) Oracle Construction and Engineering / Web Access (Apache Kafka) (21.12.0.0-21.12.21.8, 22.12.0.0-22.12.21.2, 23.12.0-23.12.19, 24.12.0-24.12.14, 25.12.0-25.12.4) Oracle Financial Services Applications / Base (Apache Kafka) (14.6.0-14.8.0) Oracle Financial Services Applications / Configuration (Apache Kafka) (14.6.0-14.8.0) Oracle Financial Services Applications / Third Party (Apache Kafka) (8.0.7.9.0, 8.0.8.7.0, 8.1.2.5.0) Oracle Fusion Middleware / General (Apache Kafka) (12.2.1.4.0, 14.1.2.0.0) Oracle SQL Developer / Installation (Apache Kafka) (19.3-24.3)
Oracle Critical Security Patch Update August 2026 ↗	CSPU	2026-Q3	Oracle Financial Services Applications / Third Party (Apache Kafka) (8.0.8.1, 8.1.2.11) Oracle Financial Services Applications / User Interface (Apache Kafka) (8.0.8.0)
Oracle Critical Security Patch Update May 2026 ↗	CSPU	2026-Q2	Oracle Communications / Message Bus (Apache Kafka) (6.1.1-7.0.0)

Advisory

Type

Quarter

Products Oracle names in its risk matrix

Oracle Critical Patch Update July 2026 ↗

CPU

2026-Q3

Oracle Communications / Install (Apache Kafka) (25.1.200, 25.2.100)
Oracle Communications / Platform (Apache Kafka) (15.0.0.0.0, 15.0.1.0.0, 15.1.0.0.0, 15.2.0.0.0)
Oracle Communications / Third Party (Apache Kafka) (7.5.0, 7.5.1, 7.6.0, 7.7.0, 7.8.0, 8.0.1)
Oracle Construction and Engineering / Web Access (Apache Kafka) (21.12.0.0-21.12.21.8, 22.12.0.0-22.12.21.2, 23.12.0-23.12.19, 24.12.0-24.12.14, 25.12.0-25.12.4)
Oracle Financial Services Applications / Base (Apache Kafka) (14.6.0-14.8.0)
Oracle Financial Services Applications / Configuration (Apache Kafka) (14.6.0-14.8.0)
Oracle Financial Services Applications / Third Party (Apache Kafka) (8.0.7.9.0, 8.0.8.7.0, 8.1.2.5.0)
Oracle Fusion Middleware / General (Apache Kafka) (12.2.1.4.0, 14.1.2.0.0)
Oracle SQL Developer / Installation (Apache Kafka) (19.3-24.3)

Oracle Critical Security Patch Update August 2026 ↗

CSPU

2026-Q3

Oracle Financial Services Applications / Third Party (Apache Kafka) (8.0.8.1, 8.1.2.11)
Oracle Financial Services Applications / User Interface (Apache Kafka) (8.0.8.0)

Oracle Critical Security Patch Update May 2026 ↗

CSPU

2026-Q2

Oracle Communications / Message Bus (Apache Kafka) (6.1.1-7.0.0)

Oracle components and versions

Family	Component	Versions, as Oracle lists them	Read as
Oracle Communications	Install (Apache Kafka)	25.1.200, 25.2.100	25.1.200 · 25.2.100
Oracle Communications	Message Bus (Apache Kafka)	6.1.1-7.0.0
Oracle Communications	Platform (Apache Kafka)	15.0.0.0.0, 15.0.1.0.0, 15.1.0.0.0, 15.2.0.0.0	15.0.0.0.0 · 15.0.1.0.0 · 15.1.0.0.0 · 15.2.0.0.0
Oracle Communications	Third Party (Apache Kafka)	7.5.0, 7.5.1, 7.6.0, 7.7.0, 7.8.0, 8.0.1	7.5.0 · 7.5.1 · 7.6.0 · 7.7.0 · 7.8.0 · 8.0.1
Oracle Construction and Engineering	Web Access (Apache Kafka)	21.12.0.0-21.12.21.8, 22.12.0.0-22.12.21.2, 23.12.0-23.12.19, 24.12.0-24.12.14, 25.12.0-25.12.4
Oracle Financial Services Applications	Base (Apache Kafka)	14.6.0-14.8.0
Oracle Financial Services Applications	Configuration (Apache Kafka)	14.6.0-14.8.0
Oracle Financial Services Applications	Third Party (Apache Kafka)	8.0.7.9.0, 8.0.8.7.0, 8.1.2.5.0	8.0.7.9.0 · 8.0.8.1 · 8.0.8.7.0 · 8.1.2.5.0 · 8.1.2.11
Oracle Financial Services Applications	User Interface (Apache Kafka)	8.0.8.0	8.0.8.0
Oracle Fusion Middleware	General (Apache Kafka)	12.2.1.4.0, 14.1.2.0.0	12.2.1.4.0 · 14.1.2.0.0
Oracle SQL Developer	Installation (Apache Kafka)	19.3-24.3

Family

Component

Versions, as Oracle lists them

Read as

Oracle Communications

Install (Apache Kafka)

25.1.200, 25.2.100

25.1.200 · 25.2.100

Oracle Communications

Message Bus (Apache Kafka)

6.1.1-7.0.0

Oracle Communications

Platform (Apache Kafka)

15.0.0.0.0, 15.0.1.0.0, 15.1.0.0.0, 15.2.0.0.0

15.0.0.0.0 · 15.0.1.0.0 · 15.1.0.0.0 · 15.2.0.0.0

Oracle Communications

Third Party (Apache Kafka)

7.5.0, 7.5.1, 7.6.0, 7.7.0, 7.8.0, 8.0.1

7.5.0 · 7.5.1 · 7.6.0 · 7.7.0 · 7.8.0 · 8.0.1

Oracle Construction and Engineering

Web Access (Apache Kafka)

21.12.0.0-21.12.21.8, 22.12.0.0-22.12.21.2, 23.12.0-23.12.19, 24.12.0-24.12.14, 25.12.0-25.12.4

Oracle Financial Services Applications

Base (Apache Kafka)

14.6.0-14.8.0

Oracle Financial Services Applications

Configuration (Apache Kafka)

14.6.0-14.8.0

Oracle Financial Services Applications

Third Party (Apache Kafka)

8.0.7.9.0, 8.0.8.7.0, 8.1.2.5.0

8.0.7.9.0 · 8.0.8.1 · 8.0.8.7.0 · 8.1.2.5.0 · 8.1.2.11

Oracle Financial Services Applications

User Interface (Apache Kafka)

8.0.8.0

Oracle Fusion Middleware

General (Apache Kafka)

12.2.1.4.0, 14.1.2.0.0

12.2.1.4.0 · 14.1.2.0.0

Oracle SQL Developer

Installation (Apache Kafka)

19.3-24.3

Maven packages

Affected and fixed versions, from OSV.dev

Package Introduced Fixed Last affected

org.apache.kafka:kafka-clients 4.1.0 4.1.2 unbounded

Package	Introduced	Fixed	Last affected
`org.apache.kafka:kafka-clients`	4.1.0	`4.1.2`	unbounded

Products and versions

2 products, 2 version entries

Source	Vendor	Product	Scheme	Affected versions
nvd	apache	kafka	generic	≥ 4.1.0 and ＜ 4.1.2
osv	org.apache.kafka	kafka-clients	generic	≥ 4.1.0 and ＜ 4.1.2

Source

Vendor

Product

Scheme

Affected versions

nvd

apache

kafka

generic

≥ 4.1.0 and ＜ 4.1.2

osv

org.apache.kafka

kafka-clients

generic

≥ 4.1.0 and ＜ 4.1.2

References

URL	Tags
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2459739	bugzilla
https://github.com/apache/kafka/commit/01d8e7db8d08dbd538892b409457ea6bfcc2a422	WEB
https://github.com/apache/kafka	PACKAGE
https://kafka.apache.org/cve-list	WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread/v57o00hm6yszdpdnvqx2ss4561yh953h	WEB
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/04/17/2	WEB
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-33557
https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-33557.json

URL

Timeline

Published	2026-04-20	By the CVE Program.
NVD record modified	2026-10-26	NVD's own last-modified date for this record.

Published

2026-04-20

By the CVE Program.

NVD record modified

2026-10-26

NVD's own last-modified date for this record.

How VRT decided (17 of 24 rules ran)

17 of 24 rules ran. The rest didn't run because an earlier rule had already settled the CVE.

# Rule Outcome Status Detail

identity: Does this identifier describe a vulnerability at all? the first rule that matches decides

1 rejected no match CVE Program withdrawal of this identifier

scope: Is it a vulnerability Waratek protects? the first rule that matches decides

2 armr-patch-file no match An ARMR patch file on disk for this CVE

3 armr-secure-rule-file no match An ARMR security-rule template on disk for this CVE

4 manual-classification no match A researcher's recorded decision for this specific CVE

5 manual classification no match Manual classification of this CVE in the legacy dataset

6 non-java-upstream no match A root cause in non-Java code: an OS kernel, a C library, or a bundled runtime

7 oracle-component no match The defect being in a component of a tracked product the agent does not reach: JavaFX, the Java SE installer, the JInitiator browser plug-in, the native WebLogic proxy plug-in, or a native part of Oracle Application Server or Collaboration Suite (HTTP Server, Web Cache, Internet Directory, mail and calendar servers). Oracle gives these no CPE of their own and names them only in the description.

8 java-client-side no match Oracle's own risk-matrix note saying the CVE is reached only through untrusted code in the Java sandbox (applets, Web Start) or only through a client installation of Java, so a server running its own trusted code is not exposed

9 osv-maven matched In scope Maven packages: org.apache.kafka:kafka-clients

10 cna-maven-package not reached An affected Maven artifact named by the CNA itself

11 known-cpe-product not reached An NVD CPE naming a product ARMR tracks

12 cna-cpe-product not reached A CPE the CNA published naming a tracked product. Oracle publishes these on advisory day, months before NVD.

13 oracle-advisory-family not reached A tracked product family named in Oracle's own risk matrix. CPE cannot carry a suite name, only a module.

14 cna-named-product not reached A tracked product named in words by the CVE's own CNA, on a record with no CPE yet. Apache and Eclipse publish these on advisory day, before NVD adds CPE data.

15 non-deployable-product not reached The only affected product being a sealed appliance image, where Java runs but no -javaagent can be attached

16 unmatched-product not reached No tracked product matched above, and none present at all

disposition: What do we do about one that is? every rule runs

17 patch-hint matched Mitigation candidate References include candidate fix URL (bugzilla tier): https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2459739

18 open-source-maven skipped The affected package being open source on Maven, so the fix can be read

19 poc-derivable skipped An indexed exploit clearing the evidence bar to reverse-engineer, where there is no source to read

20 no-exploit skipped Nothing to build a rule from yet: no published exploit, no CISA record of exploitation and no source-level change to read

21 secure-rule-match no match A vulnerability class already blocked by an ARMR security rule

22 exploited-no-fix-or-poc skipped Somebody exploiting this CVE (a CISA or VulnCheck KEV listing, or a CISA verdict of active exploitation), with no fix, source code or PoC to build a rule from

23 below-action-threshold no match Severity is CRITICAL — only MEDIUM/LOW are deprioritized

24 no-exploit-published decided it matched No exploit published No exploit code has been published, and an upstream fix path does exist, so the remediation half of the candidacy still holds.

Products the scope rules checked

The products this CVE's record names, and whether VRT tracks each one. The scope rules decided on these.

Vendor Product Tracked CPE Source

apache kafka tracked cpe:2.3:a:apache:kafka:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* yaml

NVD ↗ · CVE.org ↗