Apache Kafka: PushTelemetry (KIP-714) metrics payloads are decompressed without a size limit, allowing a broker out-of-memory denial of service

Overview

The broker-side PushTelemetry API (KIP-714) validates only the compressed size of a client's metrics payload against telemetry.max.bytes (default 1 MB) before decompressing it. ClientTelemetryUtils.decompress() then decompresses the payload with no limit on the decompressed output size, growing a heap buffer until the compressed input is exhausted. A small, highly compressible payload (for example gzip-compressed zeros) can therefore expand to hundreds of megabytes of broker heap.

Impact:

An authenticated client can send a PushTelemetry request with a small compressed payload that decompresses to a very large size, consuming broker heap out of proportion to the request size. Repeated or concurrent requests can exhaust the broker heap and cause an OutOfMemoryError, degrading or crashing the broker; a client that targets multiple brokers can affect cluster availability. PushTelemetry is available to any authenticated client and is not gated by an ACL.

Mitigation:

Upgrade to Apache Kafka 4.2.2, 4.3.1, or 4.4.0. On affected versions there is no configuration that fully prevents the amplification, because telemetry.max.bytes bounds only the compressed size; lowering telemetry.max.bytes reduces the worst-case decompressed size proportionally and is a partial mitigation.

Resolution:

• From Apache Kafka 4.2.2, 4.3.1, and 4.4.0: ClientTelemetryUtils.decompress() enforces a maximum decompressed size equal to telemetry.max.bytes (default 1 MB). Decompression reads in bounded chunks and aborts with a TelemetryTooLargeException once the decompressed total exceeds the limit, so an over-large or highly compressible payload is rejected instead of being fully expanded in heap. The decompressed size is therefore bounded by default.

Affected

• org.apache.kafka:kafka >= 3.7.0 <= 4.1.2
• org.apache.kafka:kafka >= 4.2.0 <= 4.2.1
• org.apache.kafka:kafka 4.3.0

Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.