# CVE-2019-12399: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor in Apache Kafka

> Attackers can retrieve plaintext secrets from Kafka Connect task configurations when externalized secret variables are used in substrings.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 14 Jan 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-6jmf-mxwf-r3jc

## What is CVE-2019-12399?

CVE-2019-12399 is a high-severity vulnerability in Oracle Banking Platform, published on 14 Jan 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

When Connect workers in Apache Kafka 2.0.0, 2.0.1, 2.1.0, 2.1.1, 2.2.0, 2.2.1, or 2.3.0 are configured with one or more config providers, and a connector is created/updated on that Connect cluster to use an externalized secret variable in a substring of a connector configuration property value, then any client can issue a request to the same Connect cluster to obtain the connector's task configuration and the response will contain the plaintext secret rather than the externalized secrets variables.

Weakness: CWE-319 (Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-12399?

8 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.kafka:kafka. It affects 13 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 2.0.0 | 2.0.2 |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 2.0.0 | 2.0.2 |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 2.1.0 | 2.1.2 |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 2.1.0 | 2.1.2 |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 2.2.0 | 2.2.2 |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 2.2.0 | 2.2.2 |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 2.3.0 | 2.3.1 |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 2.3.0 | 2.3.1 |

Products: Apache Kafka, Oracle Banking Corporate Lending Process Management, Oracle Banking Credit Facilities Process Management, Oracle Banking Liquidity Management, Oracle Banking Payments, Oracle Banking Platform, Oracle Banking Supply Chain Finance, Oracle Banking Trade Finance Process Management, Oracle Banking Virtual Account Management, Oracle Blockchain Platform, Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Policy, Oracle Financial Services Analytical Applications Infrastructure, Oracle Flexcube Universal Banking.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-12399?

Upgrade org.apache.kafka:kafka to a fixed version for your release line: 2.0.2, 2.1.2, 2.2.2 or 2.3.1.

## Is CVE-2019-12399 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-12399 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Oracle Banking Platform

- [CVE-2026-33557](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-33557/): Apache Kafka: Missing JWT token validation in OAUTHBEARER authentication (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2025-27818](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-27818/): Apache Kafka: Possible RCE attack via SASL JAAS LdapLoginModule configuration (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-17196](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17196/): Improper Input Validation in Apache Kafka (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-35554](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35554/): Apache Kafka Clients: Kafka Producer Message Corruption and Misrouting via Buffer Pool Race Condition (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2025-27817](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-27817/): Apache Kafka Client: Arbitrary file read and SSRF vulnerability (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-12399 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-12399 is a high-severity vulnerability in Oracle Banking Platform, published on 14 Jan 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-12399 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 2.0.0; fixed in 2.0.2
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 2.0.0; fixed in 2.0.2
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 2.1.0; fixed in 2.1.2
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 2.1.0; fixed in 2.1.2
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 2.2.0; fixed in 2.2.2
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 2.2.0; fixed in 2.2.2
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 2.3.0; fixed in 2.3.1
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 2.3.0; fixed in 2.3.1

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-12399/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-12399/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-12399
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-12399
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-12399

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-12399/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.