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.
History

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:apache:zookeeper:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

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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'}


Wed, 16 Sep 2026 12:30:00 +0000

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First Time appeared Apache
Apache zookeeper
Vendors & Products Apache
Apache zookeeper

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 11:30:00 +0000

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References

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:45:00 +0000

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Description 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.
Title Apache ZooKeeper: Audit log injection via unsanitized output from multiple sources
Weaknesses CWE-117
References

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: apache

Published: 2026-09-16T09:27:46.439Z

Updated: 2026-09-17T19:14:53.953Z

Reserved: 2026-09-01T19:22:00.838Z

Link: CVE-2026-84439

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-09-17T19:14:49.139Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2026-09-16T10:16:53.433

Modified: 2026-09-18T14:37:30.650

Link: CVE-2026-84439

cve-icon Redhat

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