CVE-2026-84439
Published:September 16, 2026
Updated:September 22, 2026
When audit logging is enabled (zookeeper.audit.enable=true), an unauthenticated attacker can inject arbitrary fields into Apache ZooKeeper's audit log by sending a digest authentication request with tab characters (\t) embedded in the username. Because the audit log uses tab-separated key=value format, the injected tabs are parsed as legitimate field separators, allowing the attacker to spoof audit results (e.g., injecting result=success), forge operation types, and corrupt forensic evidence.
A log injection vulnerability in Apache ZooKeeper allows a client that can call setACL to inject forged key-value fields into zookeeper_audit.log. When audit logging is enabled, the server serializes attacker-controlled digest ACL ids into the acl= audit field without escaping tab characters. Because audit events are emitted as tab-separated key=value records, a crafted ACL id can make one successful setAcl event appear to contain forged fields such as operation=delete and znode=/forged. This undermines the integrity of downstream audit parsing, alerting, and incident response.
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 3.9.6 or 3.8.7, which fixes the issue.
Affected Packages
https://github.com/apache/zookeeper.git (GITHUB):
Affected version(s) >=release-3.9.0-0 <release-3.9.6Fix Suggestion:
Update to version release-3.9.6https://github.com/apache/zookeeper.git (GITHUB):
Affected version(s) >=release-3.8.0-0 <release-3.8.7Fix Suggestion:
Update to version release-3.8.7org.apache.zookeeper:zookeeper (JAVA):
Affected version(s) >=3.9.0 <3.9.6Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 3.9.6org.apache.zookeeper:zookeeper (JAVA):
Affected version(s) >=3.8.0 <3.8.7Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 3.8.7Related Resources (5)
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Contact UsCVSS v4
Base Score:
6.9
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Attack Requirements
NONE
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Vulnerable System Confidentiality
NONE
Vulnerable System Integrity
LOW
Vulnerable System Availability
NONE
Subsequent System Confidentiality
NONE
Subsequent System Integrity
NONE
Subsequent System Availability
NONE
CVSS v3
Base Score:
5.3
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
LOW
Availability
NONE
Weakness Type (CWE)
Improper Output Neutralization for Logs
EPSS
Base Score:
0.81