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Integer overflow in Apache Kafka Streams hangs StreamThread

Priority MEDIUM 46CWE-190Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Denial of service
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · None · High
Fix status
Deferred Red Hat: fix deferred

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-835.

Summary

Apache Kafka from 1.1.0 through 4.1.2, from 4.2.0 through 4.2.1 and from 4.3.0 through 4.3.1 is affected. Kafka Streams computes the next stream-time punctuation without an overflow check (CWE-190), so a record with a timestamp near the maximum value makes it wrap negative. The StreamThread then loops on that time while holding a lock and stops processing. An attacker with write access to a source topic used by stream-time punctuation can trigger this with one record, and the hang returns after a restart.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-05

Description from the CNA

Kafka Streams derives its stream-time clock from record timestamps. PunctuationSchedule.next() computed the next punctuation time as timestamp + (intervalsMissed + 1) * interval with no overflow check. A record with a timestamp at or near Long.MAX_VALUE advances stream time to that value, so the next stream-time punctuation overflows to a negative time. PunctuationQueue then re-queues that time and loops on it indefinitely while holding a lock, stalling the StreamThread. Impact: A single record is enough. The affected StreamThread stops processing, and because the record stays in the topic the hang returns on restart; an application whose partitions are all affected becomes unresponsive. Only the Streams application is affected, not the brokers or the cluster. Triggering it needs write access to a source topic whose topology uses stream-time punctuation, and a broker that stores the record: brokers from Apache Kafka 4.0.0 reject such a timestamp by default (log.message.timestamp.after.max.ms, one hour), so it is reachable only on older brokers or where that bound has been relaxed. Mitigation: Upgrade Kafka Streams to 4.2.2, 4.3.2, or 4.4.0. As defense in depth, keep log.message.timestamp.after.max.ms bounded on source topics and restrict write access to them. Resolution: From Apache Kafka 4.2.2, 4.3.2, and 4.4.0: the next punctuation time is computed with overflow-checked arithmetic (clamped to Long.MAX_VALUE), and a rescheduled punctuation is re-queued only when its time moves forward.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00508 43rd percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Deferred Red Hat: fix deferred

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
Yes
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
ApacheApache Kafka1.1.0 – 4.1.2; 4.2.0 – 4.2.1; 4.3.0 – 4.3.1—No fix listedCNA
  • Apache Kafka VendorApache Affected 1.1.0 – 4.1.2; 4.2.0 – 4.2.1; 4.3.0 – 4.3.1 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1

Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:apache:kafka:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*——Apache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:kafka:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·Apache

Remediation

Upgrade Kafka Streams to 4.2.2, 4.3.2 or 4.4.0. The sources list no fixed version for Red Hat Fuse 7, Red Hat build of Quarkus and streams for Apache Kafka 3. As defense in depth, keep log.message.timestamp.after.max.ms bounded on source topics and restrict write access to them.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-05

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Fuse 7AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat build of QuarkusAffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
streams for Apache Kafka 3AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-28 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-111496
  2. 2026-10-28 Alias added: GHSA-f6x4-cq8q-x8cq
  3. 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  4. 2026-10-30 CVSS score added · Red Hat
  5. 2026-11-05 CVSS score added · CISA ADP
  6. 2026-11-05 CISA SSVC decision points changed
  7. 2026-11-05 Priority changed: LOW → MEDIUM

References

  • TI-2025-18529 Apache Tomcat: Potential RCE and/or information disclosure and/or information corruption with partial PUT KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
  • TI-2024-30292 Apache OFBiz: Confused controller-view authorization logic (forced browsing) KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2024-26062 Apache OFBiz: Unauthenticated endpoint could allow execution of screen rendering code KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2024-21190 Apache OFBiz: Path traversal leading to RCE KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2024-18186 Apache HugeGraph-Server: Command execution in gremlin KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2023-25106 Deserialization of untrusted data in Apache ActiveMQ KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
See all 4053 →

Sources