In Spring for Apache Kafka, forged retry topic headers subvert retry routing and backoff behavior
Priority LOW 28CWE-20Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub.
Summary
Spring Kafka's retry topic infrastructure did not sufficiently validate user-controlled header values before acting on them. A producer could send a record with a crafted retry_topic-attempts header to supply an out-of-range attempt count and cause the retry topic router to misidentify where the message was in the retry sequence. Affected versions: Spring for Apache Kafka 4.0.0 through 4.0.5; 3.3.0 through 3.3.15; 3.2.0 through 3.2.13; 2.9.0 through 2.9.13; 2.8.0 through 2.8.11.
Why it matters now
Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.0024 15th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Spring for Apache Kafka (Spring): 4.0.5.1, 3.3.15.1, 3.2.14 +2org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka (Maven): 4.0.6, 3.3.16
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VMware | Spring for Apache Kafka | 4.0.0 to before 4.0.5.1; 3.3.0 to before 3.3.15.1; 3.2.0 to before 3.2.14; 2.9.0 to before 2.9.14; 2.8.0 to before 2.8.12 | 4.0.5.1, 3.3.15.1, 3.2.14, 2.9.14, 2.8.12 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka (Maven) | 4.0.0 to before 4.0.6 | 4.0.6 | Patch available | GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h |
| — | org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka (Maven) | 3.3.0 to before 3.3.16 | 3.3.16 | Patch available | GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h |
| — | org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka (Maven) | 3.2.0 – 3.2.13 | — | No fix listed | GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h |
| — | org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka (Maven) | 2.9.0 – 2.9.13 | — | No fix listed | GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h |
| — | org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka (Maven) | up to 2.8.11 | — | No fix listed | GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h |
- Spring for Apache Kafka VendorVMware Affected 4.0.0 to before 4.0.5.1; 3.3.0 to before 3.3.15.1; 3.2.0 to before 3.2.14; 2.9.0 to before 2.9.14; 2.8.0 to before 2.8.12 Fixed in 4.0.5.1, 3.3.15.1, 3.2.14, 2.9.14, 2.8.12 Patch available CNA
- org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka (Maven) Vendor— Affected 4.0.0 to before 4.0.6 Fixed in 4.0.6 Patch available GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h
- org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka (Maven) Vendor— Affected 3.3.0 to before 3.3.16 Fixed in 3.3.16 Patch available GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h
- org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka (Maven) Vendor— Affected 3.2.0 – 3.2.13 Fixed in — No fix listed GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h
- org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka (Maven) Vendor— Affected 2.9.0 – 2.9.13 Fixed in — No fix listed GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h
- org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka (Maven) Vendor— Affected up to 2.8.11 Fixed in — No fix listed GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:spring_for_apache_kafka:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.8.0 to before 2.8.12; 2.9.0 to before 2.9.14; 3.2.0 to before 3.2.14; 3.3.0 to before 3.3.15.1; 4.0.0 to before 4.0.5.1 | Vulnerable | VMware |
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:spring_for_apache_kafka:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.8.0 to before 2.8.12; 2.9.0 to before 2.9.14; 3.2.0 to before 3.2.14; 3.3.0 to before 3.3.15.1; 4.0.0 to before 4.0.5.1 Vulnerable ·VMware
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Spring for Apache Kafka (Spring) Fixed in 4.0.5.1, 3.3.15.1, 3.2.14, 2.9.14, 2.8.12
- Fix · GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka (Maven) Fixed in 4.0.6 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka (Maven) Fixed in 3.3.16 Advisory →
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
Spring for Apache Kafka 2.8.12, 2.9.14 and 3 more versions
3 records Highest priority Priority LOW 3 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2026-30245 Deserialization of untrusted data in VMware Spring for Apache KafkaPriority LOW 38
- TI-2026-30240 In Spring for Apache Kafka, unbounded delegate cache keyed on user-controlled, potentially malicious selector headerPriority LOW 29
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-41727
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h
References
More VMware Spring For Apache Kafka vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-30245 Deserialization of untrusted data in VMware Spring for Apache Kafka CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2023-16906 Java Deserialization vulnerability in Spring-Kafka When Improperly Configured CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
- TI-2026-42411 Server-side request forgery in VMware Spring for Apache Kafka CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
- TI-2026-42448 In Spring for Apache Kafka, missing header validation in… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
- TI-2026-30240 In Spring for Apache Kafka, unbounded delegate cache keyed on user-controlled, potentially malicious selector header CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-41727 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-41727 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-53w6-v7cv-fc9h · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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