CVE-2021-38153
5.9 · MEDIUMOverview
CVE-2021-38153 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting apache kafka. It was published on September 22, 2021 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.9 (MEDIUM).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.9, rated MEDIUM. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
Technical 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.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from apache. Update kafka to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| apache | kafka | >= 2.0.0, < 2.6.3 | Affected |
| quarkus | quarkus | >= 0, < 2.2.4 | Affected |
| oracle | communications_brm_-_elastic_charging_engine | >= 0, < 12.0.0.4.6 | Affected |
| oracle | financial_services_analytical_applications_infrastructure | 8.0.6.0 | Affected |
| oracle | financial_services_behavior_detection_platform | 8.0.6.0.0 | Affected |
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2021-38153?
CVE-2021-38153 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting apache kafka. It was published on September 22, 2021 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.9 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2021-38153?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.9, rated MEDIUM. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2021-38153?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from apache. Update kafka to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2021-38153?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2021-38153 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
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