CVE-2026-41731
HIGH 8.1JsonKafkaHeaderMapper and the deprecated DefaultKafkaHeaderMapper matched type headers against trusted packages using a prefix check, meaning that trusting any package implicitly trusted all of its subpackages. Combined with Jackson's default bean deserialization, a producer could supply crafted header values that caused the consumer to deserialize arbitrary JDK types. Affected versions: Spring for Apache Kafka 4.0.0 through 4.0.5; 3.3.0 through 3.3.15; 3.2.0 through 3.2.13; 2.9.0 through 2.9.13; 2.8.0 through 2.8.11.
Severe if exploited (CVSS 8.1), but no known exploitation and low modeled probability. Patch on a normal cadence.
Exploitation likelihood
0.5%chance of exploitation in 30 days · 40th percentile
Impact if exploited
8.1CVSS 3.1 · HIGH
- ConfidentialityHigh
- IntegrityHigh
- AvailabilityHigh
What an attacker needs
- ✓Access: Reachable over the network — no local access needed
- ✓Privileges: No account or privileges required
- ✓User interaction: No user interaction needed
- ⚠Complexity: Needs a race window or specific setup
✓ lowers the bar for an attacker · ⚠ raises it
Proof of concept & exploit code
- github-search Search GitHub for public PoC repos
Test against your own equipment
curl -s https://vulnpedia.com/cve/CVE-2026-41731/poc.jsonMachine-readable PoC index for this CVE (for automation).Listed for defensive triage, patch verification, and authorized testing on systems you own. Machine-readable: /cve/CVE-2026-41731/poc.json
Affected
Vendors Spring Red Hat Vmware Redhat
Products Spring For Apache Kafka Red Hat Fuse 7 Red Hat Jboss Enterprise Application Platform Expansion Pack Fuse Jboss Enterprise Application Platform Expansion Pack
Weakness (CWE)
- CWE-502: : Deserialization of Untrusted Data
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Known Affected Software Configurations
| Vendor | Product | Version range |
|---|---|---|
| Vmware | Spring For Apache Kafka | ≥ 2.8.0 and < 2.8.12 |
| Vmware | Spring For Apache Kafka | ≥ 2.9.0 and < 2.9.14 |
| Vmware | Spring For Apache Kafka | ≥ 3.2.0 and < 3.2.14 |
| Vmware | Spring For Apache Kafka | ≥ 3.3.0 and < 3.3.15.1 |
| Vmware | Spring For Apache Kafka | ≥ 4.0.0 and < 4.0.5.1 |
| Redhat | Fuse | 7.0.0 |
| Redhat | Jboss Enterprise Application Platform Expansion Pack | * |
All CVSS metrics
- HIGH 8.1 v3.1 · CNA Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - HIGH 8.1 v3.1 · ADP Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - HIGH 8.1 v3.1 · NVD Secondary
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H