5.9

CVE-2021-38153: apache software foundation apache kafka Observable Discrepancy

CVSS: 5.9v3.1MediumModified
AliasesUBUNTU-CVE-2021-38153CGA-6xhq-ggm7-4q2rBIT-kafka-2021-38153
Published 22-09-2021Last modified 04-08-2024
Open JSON

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2021-38153 is a medium (CVSS 5.9) Observable Discrepancy vulnerability in apache software foundation apache kafka. EPSS estimates a 6.20% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 93.4% of scored vulnerabilities.

Overall risk
25/100
0100
Medium · default modelHow is this calculated?
CVSS score
5.9/10
010
Medium · v3.1 (NVD)
EPSS score
6.20%
0%100%
Low · -0.05 pp in 30 days
KEVNot listedIn no KEV catalog
RansomwareNone recordedNo known use recorded
Public exploits0No public exploits recorded

Advisory lineage

Upstream 0 · Downstream 0 · Related 1
CGA-J3VJ-MW6P-CXR8

Timeline

  1. 22-09-2021
    PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
  2. 04-08-2024
    Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

Some components in Apache Kafka use `Arrays.equals` to validate a password or key, which is vulnerable to timing attacks that make brute force attacks for such credentials more likely to be successful. Users should upgrade to 2.8.1 or higher, or 3.0.0 or higher where this vulnerability has been fixed. The affected versions include Apache Kafka 2.0.0, 2.0.1, 2.1.0, 2.1.1, 2.2.0, 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.3.0, 2.3.1, 2.4.0, 2.4.1, 2.5.0, 2.5.1, 2.6.0, 2.6.1, 2.6.2, 2.7.0, 2.7.1, and 2.8.0.

CVSS metrics

4 scores · 3 sources · 2 versions

EPSS trend

Probability

6.20%

Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days

Percentile

93%

Versus all other CVEs

30-day change

-0.05 pp

From 6.25% on 18-09-2026

18-09-202618-10-2026
EPSS score
6.20%

Known exploited

Compare KEV catalogs

Not in any of the 3 tracked catalogs.

Public exploits

0 found

No public exploits indexed.

Weaknesses

CWE · root cause

Affected systems

Oracle6 products
Org.apache.kafka4 products
  • kafka_2.11≥ 2.0.0, ≤ 2.4.1
  • kafka_2.12≥ 2.0.0, < 2.6.3 | ≥ 2.7.0, < 2.7.2 | ≥ 2.8.0, < 2.8.1
  • kafka_2.13≥ 2.4.0, < 2.6.3 | ≥ 2.7.0, < 2.7.2 | ≥ 2.8.0, < 2.8.1
  • kafka-clients≥ 2.0.0, < 2.6.3 | ≥ 2.7.0, < 2.7.2 | ≥ 2.8.0, < 2.8.1
Apache1 product
  • kafkaEOL≥ 2.0.0, < 2.6.3 | ≥ 2.7.0, < 2.7.2 | 2.8.0
Apache software foundation1 product
  • apache kafka≥ Apache Kafka 2.0.x, ≤ 2.0.1 | ≥ Apache Kafka 2.1.x, ≤ 2.1.1 | ≥ Apache Kafka 2.2.x, ≤ 2.2.2 | ≥ Apache Kafka 2.3.x, ≤ 2.3.1 | ≥ Apache Kafka 2.4.x, ≤ 2.4.1 | ≥ Apache Kafka 2.5.x, ≤ 2.5.1 | ≥ Apache Kafka 2.6.x, ≤ 2.6.2 | ≥ Apache Kafka 2.7.x, ≤ 2.7.1 | ≥ Apache Kafka 2.8.x, ≤ 2.8.0
Chainguard1 product
  • apache-nifi< 1.26.0-r2
Quarkus1 product
Ubuntu1 product
  • kafkaAll versions (No fix recorded)

7 vendors · 15 products

References

23 links
Show all 23 references