# CVE-2022-34917: Unauthenticated clients may cause OutOfMemoryError on Apache Kafka Brokers

> Unauthenticated clients can trigger OutOfMemoryError on Apache Kafka brokers, causing denial of service; administrators should upgrade to patched versions.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 20 Sep 2022
- **Updated:** 29 May 2025
- **Also known as:** BIT-kafka-2022-34917, GHSA-c9h3-c6qj-hh7q

## What is CVE-2022-34917?

CVE-2022-34917 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Apache Kafka, published on 20 Sep 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A security vulnerability has been identified in Apache Kafka. It affects all releases since 2.8.0. The vulnerability allows malicious unauthenticated clients to allocate large amounts of memory on brokers. This can lead to brokers hitting OutOfMemoryException and causing denial of service. Example scenarios: - Kafka cluster without authentication: Any clients able to establish a network connection to a broker can trigger the issue. - Kafka cluster with SASL authentication: Any clients able to establish a network connection to a broker, without the need for valid SASL credentials, can trigger the issue. - Kafka cluster with TLS authentication: Only clients able to successfully authenticate via TLS can trigger the issue. We advise the users to upgrade the Kafka installations to one of the 3.2.3, 3.1.2, 3.0.2, 2.8.2 versions.

Weakness: CWE-770 (Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling), CWE-789 (Memory Allocation with Excessive Size Value)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-34917?

9 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.kafka:kafka and kafka. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 2.8.0 | 2.8.2 |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 2.8.0 | 2.8.2 |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 3.0.0 | 3.0.2 |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 3.0.0 | 3.0.2 |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 3.1.0 | 3.1.2 |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 3.1.0 | 3.1.2 |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 3.2.0 | 3.2.3 |
| `org.apache.kafka:kafka` | Maven | From 3.2.0 | 3.2.3 |
| `kafka` | Bitnami | From 2.8.0 | 2.8.2, 3.0.2, 3.1.2, 3.2.3 |

Products: Apache Kafka.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-34917?

Upgrade org.apache.kafka:kafka to a fixed version for your release line: 2.8.2, 3.0.2, 3.1.2 or 3.2.3.

## Is CVE-2022-34917 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-34917 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apache Kafka

- [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-2022-34917 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-34917 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Apache Kafka, published on 20 Sep 2022. 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-2022-34917 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 2.8.0; fixed in 2.8.2
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 2.8.0; fixed in 2.8.2
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 3.0.0; fixed in 3.0.2
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 3.0.0; fixed in 3.0.2
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 3.1.0; fixed in 3.1.2
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 3.1.0; fixed in 3.1.2
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 3.2.0; fixed in 3.2.3
- org.apache.kafka:kafka (Maven): affected from 3.2.0; fixed in 3.2.3
- kafka (Bitnami): affected from 2.8.0; fixed in 2.8.2, 3.0.2, 3.1.2, 3.2.3

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-2022-34917/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-34917/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-34917
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-34917
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-34917

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-34917/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.