Cybersecurity professionals consider CVE-2026-76402 an immediate threat requiring urgent mitigation.
Status: Analyzed
Last updated: 🕡 24 Aug 2026, 18:54 UTC
Originally published on: 🕙 19 Aug 2026, 22:17 UTC
Time between publication and last update: 4 days
CVSS Release: version 3
psirt@cisco.com
Secondary
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N
CVE-2026-76402: In Splunk Connect for Kafka versions below 2.2.7, an unauthenticated user who can reach the Kafka Connect Representational State Transfer (REST) API could configure a non-secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Event Collector endpoint in Splunk Enterprise that causes the connector to send authentication credentials to an attacker-controlled server, allowing for exposure of credentials that compromise all relevant data sent through the connector and limited alteration of event delivery. The vulnerability is possible because HTTP Event Collector endpoint validation does not require secure transport by default. For more information see Install Splunk Connect for Kafka (https://help.splunk.com/en/data-management/integrate-data-with-add-ons/splunk-connect-for-kafka/2.2/install/install-splunk-connect-for-kafka), Data ingestion parameters for Splunk Connect for Kafka (https://help.splunk.com/en/data-management/integrate-data-with-add-ons/splunk-connect-for-kafka/2.2/overview/data-ingestion-parameters-for-splunk-connect-for-kafka), and Set up and use HTTP Event Collector with configuration files (https://help.splunk.com/en/splunk-enterprise/get-data-in/get-started-with-getting-data-in/9.4/get-data-with-http-event-collector/set-up-and-use-http-event-collector-with-configuration-files) in the Splunk documentation.
The exploitability of CVE-2026-76402 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).
With low attack complexity and no required privileges, CVE-2026-76402 is an easy target for cybercriminals. Organizations should prioritize immediate mitigation measures to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.
A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.
Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.
Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.
Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2026-76402, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.
Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2026-76402, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.
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