CVE-2026-84501

Apache ZooKeeper: Operational log forgery via newline injection in EnsembleAuthenticationProvider

Published Sep 16, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 5.3 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
An unauthenticated attacker can inject arbitrary fake log lines into Apache ZooKeeper's operational log by sending a crafted add_auth("ensemble", ...) request containing newline characters (\n). When the ensemble name doesn't match, EnsembleAuthenticationProvider.handleAuthentication() logs the raw, unsanitized name via LOG.warn(). Because SLF4J's {} placeholder preserves embedded newlines, the attacker can forge complete log entries — with arbitrary timestamps, log levels, class names, and messages — that are visually indistinguishable from genuine ZooKeeper log output.

This issue affects Apache ZooKeeper: from 3.9.0 through 3.9.5, from 3.8.0 through 3.8.6.

Users are recommended to upgrade to version 3.8.7 or 3.9.6, which fixes the issue.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories available
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:apache:zookeeper:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
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Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N'}

ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Apache
Apache zookeeper
Vendors & Products Apache
Apache zookeeper
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description An unauthenticated attacker can inject arbitrary fake log lines into Apache ZooKeeper's operational log by sending a crafted add_auth("ensemble", ...) request containing newline characters (\n). When the ensemble name doesn't match, EnsembleAuthenticationProvider.handleAuthentication() logs the raw, unsanitized name via LOG.warn(). Because SLF4J's {} placeholder preserves embedded newlines, the attacker can forge complete log entries — with arbitrary timestamps, log levels, class names, and messages — that are visually indistinguishable from genuine ZooKeeper log output. This issue affects Apache ZooKeeper: from 3.9.0 through 3.9.5, from 3.8.0 through 3.8.6. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 3.8.7 or 3.9.6, which fixes the issue.
Title Apache ZooKeeper: Operational log forgery via newline injection in EnsembleAuthenticationProvider
Weaknesses CWE-117
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
apache
Published
Updated
Sep 16, 2026, 7:43 PM
Reserved
Sep 1, 2026, 8:56 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
Sep 16, 2026, 10:16 AM
Modified
Sep 18, 2026, 2:36 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Sep 16, 2026, 9:28 AM