Evidence used
- No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
- The selected CVSS metric records a network-reachable, unauthenticated path with no user interaction.
- EPSS is 0.76% for the current model date.
BlackTreeCVE IntelligenceFull vulnerability report · 2024
CVE-2023-51437High confidence
Apache Pulsar: Timing attack in SASL token signature verification
Apache Software Foundation · Apache Pulsar
7.4HighCVSS 3.1
Within 7 days
Fix not verifiedHigh technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.
R
Open reassessment dashboard →Operational reassessment
Published severity in operational context
Published severityHigh→Operational priority:High, unchanged from published severity.unchanged
Compensating controls
- Restrict the affected network interface to trusted sources where business-safe.
- Monitor vendor guidance and exploitation sources for a material change.
Verification
- Confirm that the asset runs Apache Software Foundation Apache Pulsar and falls inside the recorded affected range.
- Recheck the vendor advisory before scheduling a change because no verified fixed version is currently retained.
- Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
- Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Open-source package ranges3 source-attributed ranges
These OSV and GitHub advisory ranges apply only to the named package and ecosystem. A listed fixed version is not a universal product patch or proof that an update is installed.
| Ecosystem and package | Affected range | First fixed version | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| mavenorg.apache.pulsar:pulsar-broker-auth-sasl | < 2.11.3 | 2.11.3 | GitHub advisory ↗github reviewed aggregator · 24 Mar 2026 |
| mavenorg.apache.pulsar:pulsar-broker-auth-sasl | >= 3.0.0, < 3.0.2 | 3.0.2 | GitHub advisory ↗github reviewed aggregator · 24 Mar 2026 |
| mavenorg.apache.pulsar:pulsar-broker-auth-sasl | >= 3.1.0, < 3.1.1 | 3.1.1 | GitHub advisory ↗github reviewed aggregator · 24 Mar 2026 |
High technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.
Fix not verified01
What, why and how
Observable timing discrepancy vulnerability in Apache Pulsar SASL Authentication Provider can allow an attacker to forge a SASL Role Token that will pass signature verification. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.11.3, 3.0.2, or 3.1.1 which fixes the issue. Users should also consider updating the configured secret in the `saslJaasServerRoleTokenSignerSecretPath` file. Any component matching an above version running the SASL Authentication Provider is affected. That includes the Pulsar Broker, Proxy, Websocket Proxy, or Function Worker. 2.11 Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 2.11.3. 3.0 Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 3.0.2. 3.1 Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 3.1.1. Any users running Pulsar 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, and earlier should upgrade to one of the above patched versions. For additional details on this attack vector, please refer to https://codahale.com/a-lesson-in-timing-attacks/ .
What
Observable timing discrepancy vulnerability in Apache Pulsar SASL Authentication Provider can allow an attacker to forge a SASL Role Token that will pass signature verification. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.11.3, 3.0.2, or 3.1.1 which fixes the issue. Users should also consider updating the configured secret in the `saslJaasServerRoleTokenSignerSecretPath` file. Any component matching an above version running the SASL Authentication Provider is affected. That includes the Pulsar Broker, Proxy, Websocket Proxy, or Function Worker. 2.11 Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 2.11.3. 3.0 Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 3.0.2. 3.1 Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 3.1.1. Any users running Pulsar 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, and earlier should upgrade to one of the above patched versions. For additional details on this attack vector, please refer to https://codahale.com/a-lesson-in-timing-attacks/ .
Why
The product behaves differently or sends different responses under different circumstances in a way that is observable to an unauthorized actor.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.
What
Observable timing discrepancy vulnerability in Apache Pulsar SASL Authentication Provider can allow an attacker to forge a SASL Role Token that will pass signature verification. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.11.3, 3.0.2, or 3.1.1 which fixes the issue. Users should also consider updating the configured secret in the `saslJaasServerRoleTokenSignerSecretPath` file. Any component matching an above version running the SASL Authentication Provider is affected. That includes the Pulsar Broker, Proxy, Websocket Proxy, or Function Worker. 2.11 Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 2.11.3. 3.0 Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 3.0.2. 3.1 Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 3.1.1. Any users running Pulsar 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, and earlier should upgrade to one of the above patched versions. For additional details on this attack vector, please refer to https://codahale.com/a-lesson-in-timing-attacks/ .
Why
The product behaves differently or sends different responses under different circumstances in a way that is observable to an unauthorized actor.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.
02
Exploit reality and attack path
CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.
Observed exploitation No confirmed evidence
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.
Public PoC / exploit material None recorded
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.
- Likely attack path
- a network path → Observable Discrepancy → cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor
- Attack surface
- Network
- Privileges required
- None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High: exploitation depends on specific conditions
- Security boundary
- Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
- Weakness
?
CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness. - CWE-203 ↗
CWE-203: Observable Discrepancy. The product behaves differently or sends different responses under different circumstances in a way that is observable to an unauthorized actor.
- CVSS vector
?
CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:NCommon Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACHighAttack complexity: Successful exploitation depends on specific conditions outside the attacker's direct control.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.ANoneAvailability impact: No direct loss is represented by this metric.- Post-exploitation / living off the land
- Stolen credentials, tokens and legitimate administration functions may provide continued access without deploying a large custom toolset.
03
Patch and workaround
Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.
- Status
?
Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change. - Fix not verified
- Affected
- Apache Pulsar: ≤ 2.10.5, 2.11.0 ≤ 2.11.2, 3.0.0 ≤ 3.0.1, 3.1.0
- Fixed
- No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
- Action
- No verified patch reference is present in the current structured sources. Check the vendor advisory before making a change.
- Workaround
- No verified workaround is recorded. If business-safe, reduce exposure to the affected interface and allow only trusted sources until authoritative guidance is available.
04
Evidence and provenance
Published 7 Feb 2024 · Last source change 2 Aug 2024, 22:32 UTC · CWE-203 · Observable Discrepancy
CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
?
The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2024-0609
Product sourceCNA
Remediation sourceCVE/CNA references
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD modified after enrichment
Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.
Material change intelligence
View recent updates ↗What changed after publication
No material field changes have been recorded since change tracking began. Routine source refreshes and cosmetic edits are intentionally excluded.
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
- CVE
- Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
- CVSS
- Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
- EPSS
- Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
- CWE
- Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
- CNA
- CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
- CISA ADP
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
- NVD
- National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
- CERT / CSIRT
- A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
- PoC
- Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
- CSAF
- Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
- LoTL
- Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.