CVE-2026-59278
Received Received - Intake

Remote Code Execution in Spring for Apache Kafka

Publication date: 2026-08-27

Last updated on: 2026-08-27

Assigner: VMware

Description
JsonKafkaHeaderMapper and DefaultKafkaHeaderMapper include java.net in their default trusted packages list. When these mappers are used — which is the default configuration for all @KafkaListener consumers — an external Kafka producer can inject a java.net.InetAddress type via the spring_json_header_types message header. Spring for Apache Kafka 4.1.0 Spring for Apache Kafka 4.0.0 - 4.0.6 Spring for Apache Kafka 3.0.0 - 3.3.16 Spring for Apache Kafka 2.9.0 - 2.9.14 Spring for Apache Kafka 2.8.12 and earlier

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-27
Last Modified
2026-08-27
Generated
2026-08-27
AI Q&A
2026-08-27
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-59278
EUVD
EUVD-2026-66850

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 5 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
spring apache_kafka 4.1.0
spring apache_kafka to 4.0.6 (inc)
spring apache_kafka From 3.0.0 (inc) to 3.3.16 (inc)
spring apache_kafka From 2.9.0 (inc) to 2.9.14 (inc)
spring apache_kafka to 2.8.12 (exc)

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Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This is a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in Spring for Apache Kafka. The JsonKafkaHeaderMapper and DefaultKafkaHeaderMapper include java.net in their default trusted packages. An external Kafka producer can inject a java.net.InetAddress type via the spring_json_header_types message header. When Jackson deserializes InetAddress, it triggers DNS resolution through InetAddress.getByName(), enabling SSRF in the default configuration.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability can be detected by checking if your Spring for Apache Kafka version is within the affected range (2.8.12-4.1.0). Review Kafka listener configurations for @KafkaListener consumers using default JsonKafkaHeaderMapper or DefaultKafkaHeaderMapper.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to force the application to make unauthorized network requests, potentially accessing internal systems or exfiltrating data. This could lead to data breaches, service disruption, or further network compromise depending on the application's environment.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized data access or exfiltration, violating GDPR's data protection principles or HIPAA's security requirements. Organizations may face compliance violations, fines, or legal consequences if exploited.

Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade to a fixed version of Spring for Apache Kafka: 4.1.1 (OSS), 4.1.0.1 (Enterprise), 4.0.7 (OSS), 4.0.6.1 (Enterprise), 3.3.17 (Enterprise), 2.9.15 (Enterprise), or 2.8.13 (Enterprise). No additional mitigation steps are required after upgrading.

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