CVE-2026-78166
Received Received - Intake

Code Injection in Provectus Kafka-UI

Publication date: 2026-08-24

Last updated on: 2026-08-24

Assigner: VulDB

Description
A security flaw has been discovered in provectus kafka-ui up to 0.7.2. The affected element is the function executeSmartFilterTest of the file kafka-ui-api/src/main/java/com/provectus/kafka/ui/controller/MessagesController.java of the component Groovy Code Handler. The manipulation results in code injection. The attack may be launched remotely. The exploit has been released to the public and may be used for attacks. The project was informed of the problem early through an issue report but has not responded yet.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-08-24
Last Modified
2026-08-24
Generated
2026-08-24
AI Q&A
2026-08-24
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-78166
EUVD
EUVD-2026-64686

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
provectus kafka-ui to 0.7.2 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-94 The product constructs all or part of a code segment using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the syntax or behavior of the intended code segment.
CWE-74 The product constructs all or part of a command, data structure, or record using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify how it is parsed or interpreted when it is sent to a downstream component.

Attack-Flow Graph

AI Quick Actions

Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

CVE-2026-78166 is a Groovy guard bypass remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in provectus kafka-ui up to version 0.7.2. It allows authenticated users to execute arbitrary operating system commands on the server by bypassing the filtering.groovy.enabled security control. The flaw exists in the executeSmartFilterTest function of MessagesController.java, which does not check the Groovy filtering restriction before compiling and evaluating attacker-supplied Groovy scripts.

Detection Guidance

Check if your kafka-ui version is 0.7.2 or earlier by running: curl -s https://your-kafka-ui-server/actuator/info | grep version. Inspect network traffic for requests to PUT /api/smartfilters/testexecutions with Groovy code payloads. Review server logs for unexpected Groovy script executions or command invocations.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on the server, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data theft, file system manipulation, and exposure of sensitive information like Kafka SSL certificates. Attackers need authentication but can then bypass security controls to run malicious scripts.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized data access or exfiltration, violating GDPR's data protection requirements and HIPAA's safeguards for protected health information. Organizations using affected versions may face compliance violations, legal penalties, and reputational damage due to potential data breaches.

Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade kafka-ui to a version beyond 0.7.2 immediately. If upgrading is not possible, disable the vulnerable endpoint by modifying firewall rules to block PUT /api/smartfilters/testexecutions. Restrict access to authenticated users only and review RBAC policies to limit permissions.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-78166. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart