Vulnerability from bitnami_vulndb
An improper authorization vulnerability has been identified in Apache Kafka.
The implementation of the CONSUMER_GROUP_DESCRIBE (69) API validates the DESCRIBE operation on the GROUP resource instead of the READ operation that documented in the official kafka documentation and the KIP-848. This discrepancy can result in misconfigured Access Control Lists (ACLs) and unintended security postures, like granting READ permission to users who should not be able to join/sync groups, or allowing users without READ permission (but with DESCRIBE permission) to access sensitive group metadata.
The correct permission for CONSUMER_GROUP_DESCRIBE API is DESCRIBE GROUP so the current implementation is correct. However, the kafka documentation as well as the KIP-848 will be updated to reflect the correct permission. We advise the Kafka users to review existing group ACLs to ensure the principle of least privilege.
{
"affected": [
{
"package": {
"ecosystem": "Bitnami",
"name": "kafka",
"purl": "pkg:bitnami/kafka"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "4.0.0"
},
{
"last_affected": "4.3.0"
}
],
"type": "SEMVER"
}
],
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2026-41115"
],
"database_specific": {
"cpes": [
"cpe:2.3:a:apache:kafka:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"cpe:2.3:a:apache:kafka:*:*:*:*:*:maven:*:*"
],
"severity": "Medium"
},
"details": "An improper authorization vulnerability has been identified in Apache Kafka.\n\nThe implementation of the CONSUMER_GROUP_DESCRIBE (69) API validates the DESCRIBE operation on the GROUP resource instead of the READ operation that documented in the official kafka documentation and the KIP-848. This discrepancy can result in misconfigured Access Control Lists (ACLs) and unintended security postures, like granting READ permission to users who should not be able to join/sync groups, or allowing users without READ permission (but with DESCRIBE permission) to access sensitive group metadata.\n\nThe correct permission for CONSUMER_GROUP_DESCRIBE API is DESCRIBE GROUP so the current implementation is correct. However, the kafka documentation as well as the KIP-848 will be updated to reflect the correct permission. We advise the Kafka users to review existing group ACLs to ensure the principle of least privilege.",
"id": "BIT-kafka-2026-41115",
"modified": "2026-06-05T06:08:58.631Z",
"published": "2026-06-05T05:43:42.489Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/06/02/5"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://kafka.apache.org/cve-list"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-41115"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.6.2",
"summary": "Apache Kafka: Improper Authorization in CONSUMER_GROUP_DESCRIBE API"
}
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date | Other |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.