Apache ZooKeeper: Missing ACL check on deleteContainer opcode allows unauthorized deletion of any empty persistent/container znode
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-79993 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | apache |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-09-16 10:16:53 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-09-18 14:37:21 UTC |
| Description | The `deleteContainer` opcode (0x14/20) is processed without verifying the caller's ACL permissions, allowing any authenticated client to delete specific znodes in the data tree regardless of the ACL restrictions on the znode or its parent. This opcode is considered internal-only and the official client doesn't have API for it, but a client that can open a plain TCP session on the ZooKeeper client port (2181 by default) - with NO authentication and NO ACL permissions - can delete any empty persistent znode (including regular persistent nodes, container nodes, and TTL nodes) by issuing the raw protocol OpCode deleteContainer (20). The deleteContainer request path completely skips both the session check and the DELETE ACL check that are enforced by the regular delete (OpCode 2) path. This is an authorization bypass / ACL enforcement bug. 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. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v3.1 7.5 HIGH from ADP
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
EPSS: 0.006060000 probability, percentile 0.476670000 (date 2026-09-20)
Problem Types: CWE-862 | CWE-862 CWE-862 Missing Authorization
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | ADP | DECLARED | 7.5 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N |
| 3.1 | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | Secondary | 7.5 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N |
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
Attack Vector
NetworkAttack Complexity
LowPrivileges Required
NoneUser Interaction
NoneScope
UnchangedConfidentiality
NoneIntegrity
HighAvailability
NoneCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
NVD Known Affected Configurations (CPE 2.3)
Vendor Declared Affected Products
| Source | Vendor | Product | Version | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Apache Software Foundation | Apache ZooKeeper | affected 3.9.0 3.9.5 maven | Not specified |
| CNA | Apache Software Foundation | Apache ZooKeeper | affected 3.8.0 3.8.6 maven | Not specified |
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/09/15/5 | af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 | www.openwall.com | Mailing List |
| lists.apache.org/thread/9cw3rmrzhqpct26v8j18fy41bghlq8y5 | [email protected] | lists.apache.org | Mailing List, Vendor Advisory |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
Vendor Comments And Credit
Discovery Credit
CNA: K <[email protected]> (en)
CNA: z f <[email protected]> (en)
CNA: 布豪 <[email protected]> (en)
There are currently no legacy QID mappings associated with this CVE.