Strimzi allows unrestricted access to all Secrets in the same Kubernetes namespace from Kafka Connect and MirrorMaker 2 operands

Exploitation

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

CVSS

7.4 · CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N

EPSS

• CVE-2025-66623: 0.17% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 6.64 (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.

Impact In some situations, Strimzi creates an incorrect Kubernetes Role which grants the Apache Kafka Connect and Apache Kafka MirrorMaker 2 operands the GET access to all Kubernetes Secrets that exist in the given Kubernetes namespace. The exact scenario when this happens is when: Apache Kafka Connect is deployed without at least one of the following options configured: TLS encryption with configured trusted certificates (no .spec.tls.trustedCertificates section in the KafkaConnect CR) mTLS authentication (no type: tls in .spec.authentication section of the KafkaConnect CR) TLS encryption with configured trusted certificates for type: oauth authentication (no .spec.authentication.tlsTrustedCertificates section in the KafkaConnect CR) Apache Kafka MirrorMaker2 is deployed without at least one of the following options configured for the target cluster: TLS encryption with configured trusted certificates (no .spec.target.tls.trustedCertificates section in the KafkaConnect CR) mTLS…

Published by the source

5 Dec 2025, 22:02 UTC

Last modified by the source

5 Dec 2025, 22:02 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:43 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-xrhh-hx36-485q

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2025-66623

Advisory: Strimzi allows unrestricted access to all Secrets in the same Kubernetes namespace from Kafka Connect and MirrorMaker 2 operands
IDs: CVE-2025-66623, GHSA-xrhh-hx36-485q
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2025-66623 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:43 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.4)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: io.strimzi:strimzi 0.49.1. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven io.strimzi:strimzi: affected >= 0.47.0, < 0.49.1; fixed in 0.49.1

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven io.strimzi:strimzi: 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 io.strimzi:strimzi.
- 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-xrhh-hx36-485q (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-xrhh-hx36-485q lists affected ranges: Maven io.strimzi:strimzi >=0.47.0 <0.49.1)

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