# CVE-2026-116593: Apache Kafka: Kafka Connect configuration provider values exposed via validation REST API endpoint


- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 28 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 28 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mf84-q3cw-6ch9

## What is CVE-2026-116593?

CVE-2026-116593 is a vulnerability in Apache Kafka, published on 28 Oct 2026. 

### Official description

Apache Kafka Connect has the /connector-plugins/{connector-type}/config/validate endpoint on its REST API to validate connector configurations.
Apache Kafka Connect also support Configuration Providers which enable to hide the values of sensitive configuration and only resolve them at runtime. 

An attacker with access to the validate endpoint can use it to resolve and return plaintext values via any of the configuration providers installed on a Connect worker.

Users are recommended to upgrade to version 4.2.2, 4.3.2, 4.4.0 or above, which fix this issue.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-116593?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-116593?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-116593 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-116593 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-116593 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-116593 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-116593 is a vulnerability in Apache Kafka, published on 28 Oct 2026. 
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-116593 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Apache Kafka. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2026-116593/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-116593/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-116593
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-116593
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-116593

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-116593/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.