CVE-2023-30429
CRITICALCVE-2023-30429 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.6) CWE-863 vulnerability in org.apache.pulsar:pulsar. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2023-30429 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Apache Pulsar: Incorrect Authorization for Function Worker when using mTLS Authentication through Pulsar Proxy
Real-World Exposure
org.apache.pulsar:pulsar☕org.apache.pulsar:pulsarReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Incorrect Authorization vulnerability in Apache Software Foundation Apache Pulsar.
This issue affects Apache Pulsar: before 2.10.4, and 2.11.0.
When a client connects to the Pulsar Function Worker via the Pulsar Proxy where the Pulsar Proxy uses mTLS authentication to authenticate with the Pulsar Function Worker, the Pulsar Function Worker incorrectly performs authorization by using the Proxy's role for authorization instead of the client's role, which can lead to privilege escalation, especially if the proxy is configured with a superuser role.
The recommended mitigation for impacted users is to upgrade the Pulsar Function Worker to a patched version.
2.10 Pulsar Function Worker users should upgrade to at least 2.10.4. 2.11 Pulsar Function Worker users should upgrade to at least 2.11.1. 3.0 Pulsar Function Worker users are unaffected. Any users running the Pulsar Function Worker for 2.9.* and earlier should upgrade to one of the above patched versions.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.pulsar:pulsar | all versions | 2.10.4 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.pulsar:pulsar | ≥ 2.11.0&&< 2.11.1 | 2.11.1 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.pulsar:pulsar. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update org.apache.pulsar:pulsar to 2.10.4 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2023-30429 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2023-30429 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2023-30429. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2023-30429 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2023-30429 across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.