# CVE-2025-66623: strimzi — Fixed in 0.49.1 ☕ ☕ Maven Not in CISA KEV HIGH severity # CVE-2025-66623 — strimzi HIGH [Fix: strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator@c8a1493](https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/commit/c8a14935e99c91eb0dd865431f46515da9f82ccc) CVE-2025-66623 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.4) Information Exposure vulnerability in io.strimzi:strimzi. A fix is available for io.strimzi:strimzi — see the affected versions and patch details below. Strimzi allows unrestricted access to all Secrets in the same Kubernetes namespace from Kafka Connect and MirrorMaker 2 operands Also known as[GHSA-xrhh-hx36-485q](/vulnerability/GHSA-xrhh-hx36-485q) Published Dec 5, 2025 Updated Oct 28, 2026 Affected 1 pkg Patched 1 / 1 Exploits None indexed Exploitation data as of Nov 10, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS) ## Exploitation Status ### No confirmed exploitation observed yet - CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment. Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2025-66623. ## EPSS Exploitation Probability [via FIRST.org ↗](https://www.first.org/epss/) 0.2%probability of exploitation in next 30 days Lower Risk+0.01% Lower risk than most CVEs8th percentile — riskier than 8% of all scored CVEsHighest risk 0.00%0.23%0.46%0.68%0.0%0.2%May 26Sep 26Nov 26 Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from [FIRST.org EPSS](https://www.first.org/epss/). ## How urgent is this, really ## Where this sits among everything scored ## Real-World Exposure 1 pkg affected ☕`io.strimzi:strimzi` Real-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 #### Impact In some situations, Strimzi creates an incorrect Kubernetes `Role` which grants the Apache Kafka Connect and Apache Kafka MirrorMaker 2 operands the `GET` access to all Kubernetes Secrets that exist in the given Kubernetes namespace. The exact scenario when this happens is when: - Apache Kafka Connect is deployed without at least one of the following options configured: - TLS encryption with configured trusted certificates (no `.spec.tls.trustedCertificates` section in the `KafkaConnect` CR) - mTLS authentication (no `type: tls` in `.spec.authentication` section of the `KafkaConnect` CR) - TLS encryption with configured trusted certificates for `type: oauth` authentication (no `.spec.authentication.tlsTrustedCertificates` section in the `KafkaConnect` CR) - Apache Kafka MirrorMaker2 is deployed without at least one of the following options configured for the target cluster: - TLS encryption with configured trusted certificates (no `.spec.target.tls.trustedCertificates` section in the `KafkaConnect` CR) - mTLS authentication (no `type: tls` in `.spec.target.authentication` section of the `KafkaConnect` CR) - TLS encryption with configured trusted certificates for `type: oauth` authentication (no `.spec.target.authentication.tlsTrustedCertificates` section in the `KafkaConnect` CR) - TLS encryption with configured trusted certificates (no `.spec.clusters[].tls.trustedCertificates` section in the `KafkaConnect` CR for the target cluster) - mTLS authentication (no `type: tls` in `.spec.clusters[].authentication` section of the `KafkaConnect` CR for the target cluster) - TLS encryption with configured trusted certificates for `type: oauth` authentication (no `.spec.clusters[].authentication.tlsTrustedCertificates` section in the `KafkaConnect` CR for the target cluster) When the operands configured as described above are deployed with Strimzi >= 0.47.0 and <= 0.49.0, any code running within their Pods and using their Service Account for authentication will be able to `GET` any Kubernetes Secret from the same namespace. This can be done by executing 3rd party tools from the Pods. Or directly from the Kafka Connect code, for example, using configuration providers or HTTP connectors. The Pods are allowed to only `GET` the Secrets. They are not allowed to list, watch, modify, or delete the Secrets. #### Patches The issue is fixed in Strimzi 0.49.1. #### Workarounds There is no workaround for this issue when using the affected operands with the affected configurations. ## Affected Packages 1 total 1 fixed Ecosystem Package Vulnerable range Fix ☕Maven `io.strimzi:strimzi` ≥ 0.47.0&&< 0.49.1 0.49.1`io.strimzi:strimzi:0.49.1` ## Affected Products 1 product · 1 configurations Application `strimzi`linuxfoundation < 0.49.1 range ## Detection & mitigation playbook Open-source dependency 1. ### Detect Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for io.strimzi:strimzi, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version. 2. ### Fix Update io.strimzi:strimzi to 0.49.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2025-66623 is resolved across your whole dependency graph. 3. ### Workarounds Put an independent control in front of the weakness: restrict the affected endpoint or interface to trusted networks, require an additional authentication factor or proxy-level check, and invalidate existing sessions and credentials in case the flaw has already been used. ## Fixing This On Your OS If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project. Red HatImportant This vulnerability is rated Important for Red Hat AMQ Streams. Affected Strimzi versions 0.47.0 through 0.49.0 create an incorrect Kubernetes Role, granting Apache Kafka Connect and Apache Kafka MirrorMaker 2 operands unauthorized GET access to all Kubernetes Secrets within the operator's namespace. This could lead to… Workaround published by Red Hat > Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability. Source: [Red Hat security advisory for CVE-2025-66623](https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2025-66623) (CC BY 4.0) ## Frequently Asked Questions \### Impact In some situations, Strimzi creates an incorrect Kubernetes \`Role\` which grants the Apache Kafka Connect and Apache Kafka MirrorMaker 2 operands the \`GET\` access to all Kubernetes Secrets that exist in the given Kubernetes namespace. The exact scenario when this happens is when: \* Apache Kafka Connect is deployed without at least one of the following options configured: \* TLS encryption with configured trusted certificates (no \`.spec.tls.trustedCertificates\` section in the \`KafkaConnect\` CR) \* mTLS authentication (no \`type: tls\` in \`.spec.authentication\` section of the \`Kaf O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA ### Is CVE-2025-66623 in your dependencies? Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies. [Scan my dependencies](/book-demo) [How O3 SCA works](/impact-aware-sca)