Incorrect Implementation of Authentication Algorithm in Apache Kafka's SCRAM implementation. Issue Summary: Apache Kafka's implementation of the Salted Challenge Response Authentication Mechanism (SCRAM) did not fully adhere to the requirements of RFC 5802 [1]. Specifically, as per RFC 5802, the server must verify that the nonce sent by the client in the second message matches the nonce sent by the server in its first message. However, Kafka's SCRAM implementation did not perform this validation. Impact: This vulnerability is exploitable only when an attacker has plaintext access to the SCRAM authentication exchange. However, the usage of SCRAM over plaintext is strongly discouraged as it is considered an insecure practice [2]. Apache Kafka recommends deploying SCRAM exclusively with TLS encryption to protect SCRAM exchanges from interception [3]. Deployments using SCRAM with TLS are not affected by this issue. How to Detect If You Are Impacted: If your deployment uses SCRAM authentication over plaintext communication channels (without TLS encryption), you are likely impacted. To check if TLS is enabled, review your server.properties configuration file for listeners property. If you have SASL_PLAINTEXT in the listeners, then you are likely impacted. Fix Details: The issue has been addressed by introducing nonce verification in the final message of the SCRAM authentication exchange to ensure compliance with RFC 5802. Affected Versions: Apache Kafka versions 0.10.2.0 through 3.9.0, excluding the fixed versions below. Fixed Versions: 3.9.0 3.8.1 3.7.2 Users are advised to upgrade to 3.7.2 or later to mitigate this issue. Recommendations for Mitigation: Users unable to upgrade to the fixed versions can mitigate the issue by: - Using TLS with SCRAM Authentication: Always deploy SCRAM over TLS to encrypt authentication exchanges and protect against interception. - Considering Alternative Authentication Mechanisms: Evaluate alternative authentication mechanisms, such as PLAIN, Kerberos or OAuth with TLS, which provide additional layers of security.

The Unity Linux 20 host has a package installed that is affected by a vulnerability as referenced in the UTSA-2026-150479 advisory.

    Incorrect Implementation of Authentication Algorithm in Apache Kafka's SCRAM implementation.

    Issue Summary:
    Apache Kafka's implementation of the Salted Challenge Response Authentication Mechanism (SCRAM) did not     fully adhere to the requirements of RFC 5802 [1].
    Specifically, as per RFC 5802, the server must verify that the nonce sent by the client in the second     message matches the nonce sent by the server in its first message.
    However, Kafka's SCRAM implementation did not perform this validation.

    Impact:
    This vulnerability is exploitable only when an attacker has plaintext access to the SCRAM authentication     exchange. However, the usage of SCRAM over plaintext is strongly     discouraged as it is considered an insecure practice [2]. Apache Kafka recommends deploying SCRAM     exclusively with TLS encryption to protect SCRAM exchanges from interception [3].
    Deployments using SCRAM with TLS are not affected by this issue.

    How to Detect If You Are Impacted:
    If your deployment uses SCRAM authentication over plaintext communication channels (without TLS     encryption), you are likely impacted.
    To check if TLS is enabled, review your server.properties configuration file for listeners property. If     you have SASL_PLAINTEXT in the listeners, then you are likely impacted.

    Fix Details:
    The issue has been addressed by introducing nonce verification in the final message of the SCRAM     authentication exchange to ensure compliance with RFC 5802.

    Affected Versions:
    Apache Kafka versions 0.10.2.0 through 3.9.0, excluding the fixed versions below.

    Fixed Versions:
    3.9.0     3.8.1     3.7.2

    Users are advised to upgrade to 3.7.2 or later to mitigate this issue.

    Recommendations for Mitigation:
    Users unable to upgrade to the fixed versions can mitigate the issue by:
    - Using TLS with SCRAM Authentication:
    Always deploy SCRAM over TLS to encrypt authentication exchanges and protect against interception.
    - Considering Alternative Authentication Mechanisms:
    Evaluate alternative authentication mechanisms, such as PLAIN, Kerberos or OAuth with TLS, which provide     additional layers of security.

Tenable has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Unity Linux security advisory.

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

There are packages installed that are affected by a vulnerability referenced in the following CVE:

  - Incorrect Implementation of Authentication Algorithm in Apache Kafka's SCRAM implementation. Issue
    Summary: Apache Kafka's implementation of the Salted Challenge Response Authentication Mechanism (SCRAM)
    did not fully adhere to the requirements of RFC 5802 [1]. Specifically, as per RFC 5802, the server must
    verify that the nonce sent by the client in the second message matches the nonce sent by the server in its
    first message. However, Kafka's SCRAM implementation did not perform this validation. Impact: This
    vulnerability is exploitable only when an attacker has plaintext access to the SCRAM authentication
    exchange. However, the usage of SCRAM over plaintext is strongly discouraged as it is considered an
    insecure practice [2]. Apache Kafka recommends deploying SCRAM exclusively with TLS encryption to protect
    SCRAM exchanges from interception [3]. Deployments using SCRAM with TLS are not affected by this issue.
    How to Detect If You Are Impacted: If your deployment uses SCRAM authentication over plaintext
    communication channels (without TLS encryption), you are likely impacted. To check if TLS is enabled,
    review your server.properties configuration file for listeners property. If you have SASL_PLAINTEXT in the
    listeners, then you are likely impacted. Fix Details: The issue has been addressed by introducing nonce
    verification in the final message of the SCRAM authentication exchange to ensure compliance with RFC 5802.
    Affected Versions: Apache Kafka versions 0.10.2.0 through 3.9.0, excluding the fixed versions below. Fixed
    Versions: 3.9.0 3.8.1 3.7.2 Users are advised to upgrade to 3.7.2 or later to mitigate this issue.
    Recommendations for Mitigation: Users unable to upgrade to the fixed versions can mitigate the issue by: -
    Using TLS with SCRAM Authentication: Always deploy SCRAM over TLS to encrypt authentication exchanges and
    protect against interception. - Considering Alternative Authentication Mechanisms: Evaluate alternative
    authentication mechanisms, such as PLAIN, Kerberos or OAuth with TLS, which provide additional layers of
    security. (CVE-2024-56128)

ID	Name	Product	Family	Type	Severity
376590	Unity Linux 20.1050e / 20.1060e / 20.1070e Security Update: kafka (UTSA-2026-150479)	Nessus	Unity Linux Local Security Checks	Local	medium
417372	SCA: security update for org.apache.kafka:kafka_2.12, org.apache.kafka:kafka_2.13 (GHSA-p7c9-8xx8-h74f)	Tenable Cloud Security	SCA Checks	Local	medium
417372	SCA: security update for org.apache.kafka:kafka_2.12, org.apache.kafka:kafka_2.13 (GHSA-p7c9-8xx8-h74f)	Tenable Self-Hosted Container Security	SCA Checks	Local	medium

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CVE-2024-56128

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