CVE-2024-28098
MEDIUMApache Pulsar: Improper Authorization For Topic-Level Policy Management
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Blast Radius
org.apache.pulsar:pulsar-broker☕org.apache.pulsar:pulsar-broker☕org.apache.pulsar:pulsar-broker☕org.apache.pulsar:pulsar-broker☕org.apache.pulsar:pulsar-brokerReal-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
The vulnerability allows authenticated users with only produce or consume permissions to modify topic-level policies, such as retention, TTL, and offloading settings. These management operations should be restricted to users with the tenant admin role or super user role.
This issue affects Apache Pulsar versions from 2.7.1 to 2.10.5, from 2.11.0 to 2.11.3, from 3.0.0 to 3.0.2, from 3.1.0 to 3.1.2, and 3.2.0.
2.10 Apache Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 2.10.6. 2.11 Apache Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 2.11.4. 3.0 Apache Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 3.0.3. 3.1 Apache Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 3.1.3. 3.2 Apache Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 3.2.1.
Users operating versions prior to those listed above should upgrade to the aforementioned patched versions or newer versions.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.pulsar:pulsar-broker | ≥ 3.2.0&&< 3.2.1 | 3.2.1 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.pulsar:pulsar-broker | ≥ 3.1.0&&< 3.1.3 | 3.1.3 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.pulsar:pulsar-broker | ≥ 3.0.0&&< 3.0.3 | 3.0.3 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.pulsar:pulsar-broker | ≥ 2.11.0&&< 2.11.4 | 2.11.4 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.pulsar:pulsar-broker | ≥ 2.7.1&&< 2.10.6 | 2.10.6 |
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-broker. 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-broker to 3.2.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2024-28098 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-2024-28098 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-2024-28098. 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-2024-28098 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2024-28098 across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.