Apache Kafka: Potential incorrect access control during migration from ZK mode to KRaft mode

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS 4.0

7.6 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N · score source

EPSS

• CVE-2024-27309: 1.13% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 66.32 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

While an Apache Kafka cluster is being migrated from ZooKeeper mode to KRaft mode, in some cases ACLs will not be correctly enforced. Two preconditions are needed to trigger the bug: 1. The administrator decides to remove an ACL 2. The resource associated with the removed ACL continues to have two or more other ACLs associated with it after the removal. When those two preconditions are met, Kafka will treat the resource as if it had only one ACL associated with it after the removal, rather than the two or more that would be correct. The incorrect condition is cleared by removing all brokers in ZK mode, or by adding a new ACL to the affected resource. Once the migration is completed, there is no metadata loss (the ACLs all remain). The full impact depends on the ACLs in use. If only ALLOW ACLs were configured during the migration, the impact would be limited to availability impact. if DENY ACLs were configured, the impact could include confidentiality and integrity impact depending on…

Published by the source

12 Apr 2024, 09:33 UTC

Last modified by the source

13 Feb 2025, 19:01 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:34 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-79vv-vp32-gpp7

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2024-27309

Advisory: Apache Kafka: Potential incorrect access control during migration from ZK mode to KRaft mode
IDs: CVE-2024-27309, GHSA-79vv-vp32-gpp7
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2024-27309 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:34 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.6)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: org.apache.kafka:kafka-metadata 3.6.2. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.apache.kafka:kafka-metadata: affected >= 3.5.0, < 3.6.2; fixed in 3.6.2

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.apache.kafka:kafka-metadata: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.apache.kafka:kafka-metadata.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-79vv-vp32-gpp7 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-79vv-vp32-gpp7 lists affected ranges: Maven org.apache.kafka:kafka-metadata >=3.5.0 <3.6.2)

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