Apache Kafka

General Information

Technologies must be operated and maintained in accordance with Federal and Department security and privacy policies and guidelines. More information on the proper use of the TRM can be found on the TRM Proper Use Tab/Section.

Website:	Go to site
Description:	Apache Kafka is a high-throughput, distributed, partitioned, and replicated commit log service that provides the functionality of a messaging system. Kafka maintains feeds of messages in categories (topics), which can be published as messages (producers) and processed as a feed (consumers). Data written to Kafka is written to disk and replicated for fault-tolerance. The TRM decisions in this entry only apply to technologies and versions owned, operated, managed, patched, and version-controlled by VA. This includes technologies deployed as software installations on VMs within VA-controlled cloud environments (e.g. VA Enterprise Cloud (VAEC)). Cloud services provided by the VAEC, which are listed in the VAEC Service Catalog, and those controlled and managed by an external Cloud Service Provider (i.e. SaaS) are not in the purview of the TRM. For more information on the use of cloud services and cloud-based products within VA, including VA private clouds, please see the Enterprise Cloud Solutions Office (ECSO) Portal at: https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/OITECSO
Technology/Standard Usage Requirements:	Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.
Section 508 Information:	This technology has not been assessed by the Section 508 Office. The Implementer of this technology has the responsibility to ensure the version deployed is 508-compliant. Section 508 compliance may be reviewed by the Section 508 Office and appropriate remedial action required if necessary. For additional information or assistance regarding Section 508, please contact the Section 508 Office at Section508@va.gov.
Decision:	View Decisions

Decision Source:	TRM Mgmt Group
Decision Process:	One-VA TRM v22.7
Decision Date:	07/05/2022 at 15:15:25 UTC
Introduced By:	TRM Request
Vendor Name:	Apache Software Foundation (ASF)

Vendor Release Information

The Vendor Release table provides the known releases for the TRM Technology, obtained from the vendor (or from the release source).

Version	Release Date	Vendor End of Life Date	Vendor Desupport Date
0.9.0.x	02/11/2016
0.10.x	05/18/2016
0.11.x	09/13/2017
2.x	07/28/2018
3.x	05/17/2022

Current Decision Matrix (06/29/2022)

Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.

The VA Decision Matrix displays the current and future VA IT position regarding different releases of a TRM entry. These decisions are based upon the best information available as of the most current date. The consumer of this information has the responsibility to consult the organizations responsible for the desktop, testing, and/or production environments to ensure that the target version of the technology will be supported. Any major.minor version that is not listed in the VA Decision Matrix is considered unapproved for use.

Legend:

White	Approved: The technology/standard has been approved for use.
Yellow	Approved w/Constraints: The technology/standard can be used within the specified constraints located below the decision matrix in the footnote[1] and on the General tab.
Gray	Unapproved: This technology or standard can be used only if a POA&M review is conducted and signed by the Authorizing Official Designated Representative (AODR) as designated by the Authorizing Official (AO) or designee and based upon a recommendation from the POA&M Compliance Enforcement, has been granted to the project team or organization that wishes to use the technology.
Orange	Divest: VA has decided to divest itself on the use of the technology/standard. As a result, all projects currently utilizing the technology/standard must plan to eliminate their use of the technology/standard. Additional information on when the entry is projected to become unapproved may be found on the Decision tab for the specific entry.
Black	Prohibited: The technology/standard is not (currently) permitted to be used under any circumstances.
Blue	Planning/Evaluation Constraint:The period of time this technology is currently being evaluated, reviewed, and tested in controlled environments. Use of this technology is strictly controlled and not available for use within the general population. If a customer would like to use this technology, please work with your local or Regional OI&T office and contact the appropriate evaluation office displayed in the notes below the decision matrix. The Local or Regional OI&T office should submit an inquiry to the TRM if they require further assistance or if the evaluating office is not listed in the notes below.

Release/Version Information:

VA decisions for specific versions may include a ‘.x’ wildcard, which denotes a decision that pertains to a range of multiple versions.

For example, a technology approved with a decision for 7.x would cover any version of 7.(Anything) - 7.(Anything). However, a 7.4.x decision would cover any version of 7.4.(Anything), but would not cover any version of 7.5.x or 7.6.x on the TRM.

VA decisions for specific versions may include ‘+’ symbols; which denotes that the decision for the version specified also includes versions greater than what is specified but is not to exceed or affect previous decimal places.

For example, a technology approved with a decision for 12.6.4+ would cover any version that is greater than 12.6.4, but would not exceed the .6 decimal ie: 12.6.401 is ok, 12.6.5 is ok, 12.6.9 is ok, however 12.7.0 or 13.0 is not.

<Past

CY2020

CY2021

CY2022

Future>

Release

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

0.9.0.x

Unapproved

0.10.x

Unapproved

0.11.x

Divest
[1, 3, 4, 5]

Divest
[1, 3, 4, 6]

Unapproved

2.x

Approved w/Constraints
[1, 3, 4, 5]

Approved w/Constraints
[1, 3, 4, 6]

Approved w/Constraints
[1, 3, 4, 7]

Approved w/Constraints
[1, 3, 4, 8]

Divest
[1, 3, 8, 9]

3.x

Unapproved

Approved w/Constraints
[1, 3, 8, 9]

Decision Constraints


[1]	Users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Office (ISO) or local OIT representative for permission to download and use this software. Downloaded software must always be scanned for viruses prior to installation to prevent adware or malware. Freeware may only be downloaded directly from the primary site that the creator of the software has advertised for public download and user or development community engagement. Users should note, any attempt by the installation process to install any additional, unrelated software is not approved and the user should take the proper steps to decline those installations.

[2]	Technology must remain patched and operated in accordance with Federal and Department security policies and guidelines in order to mitigate known and future security vulnerabilities.

[3]	Due to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identified security vulnerabilities, extra vigilance should be applied to ensure the versions remain properly patched to mitigate known and future vulnerabilities. The local ISO can provide assistance in reviewing the NIST vulnerabilities.

[4]	This technology must use the latest version of Java Development Kit (JDK) - Oracle. Per the Initial Product Review, users must abide by the following constraints: The System Owner must reach out to the vendor and obtain and follow a secure configuration guide Apache Kafka and document in the A&A package. Apache Kafka must be configured to employ FIPS 140-2 encryption or a third party FIPS 140-2 solution must be acquired to ensure that VA Protected Health Information (PHI) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII) are protected. VA must acquire support with a third-party support organization that provides a Service Level Agreement that meets VA’s needs. Due to potential information security risks, Software as a Service/ Platform as a Service (SaaS/PaaS) solutions must complete the Veterans-Focused Integration Process Request (VIPR) process where a collaborative effort between Demand Management (DM), Enterprise Program Management Office Information Assurance (EPMO IA), Project Special Forces (PSF), Enterprise Cloud Solutions Office (ECSO), Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and stakeholders determines the SaaS/PaaS category during the Discovery Phase. All SaaS and Non-AWS/Azure (VAEC) PaaS assets are routed to EPMO IA for Analysis and Approval to Operate (ATO) with technical oversight, acquisition, production, and sustainment provided by PSF. Alternative solutions must only be approved if the comparable approved solution currently in place does not meet VA needs. Ensure that the latest version is installed. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Vulnerability Database should be referenced, and the product should be continuously monitored for security vulnerabilities.

[5]	Due to potential information security risks for cloud-based technologies, users should coordinate closely with their facility ISSO for guidance and assistance on cloud products. If further guidance is needed contact the Enterprise Cloud Solution Office (ECSO), which is the body responsible for new software development in and migration of existing systems to the VA Enterprise Cloud (VAEC) and ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised within the VAEC. For information about Software as a Service (SaaS) products or to submit a SaaS product request with the Project Special Forces (SPF) team, please use their online form. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[6]	Due to potential information security risks for cloud-based technologies, users should coordinate closely with their facility ISSO for guidance and assistance on cloud products. If further guidance is needed contact the Enterprise Cloud Solution Office (ECSO), which is the body responsible for new software development in and migration of existing systems to the VA Enterprise Cloud (VAEC) and ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised within the VAEC. For information about Software as a Service (SaaS) products or to submit a SaaS product request with the Project Special Forces (SPF) team, please use their online form. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[7]	Due to potential information security risks for cloud-based technologies, users should coordinate closely with their facility ISSO for guidance and assistance on cloud products. If further guidance is needed contact the Enterprise Cloud Solution Office (ECSO), which is the body responsible for new software development in and migration of existing systems to the VA Enterprise Cloud (VAEC) and ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised within the VAEC. For information about Software as a Service (SaaS) products or to submit a SaaS product request with the Project Special Forces (PSF) team, please use their online form. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[8]	Due to potential information security risks for cloud-based technologies, users should coordinate closely with their facility ISSO for guidance and assistance on cloud products. If further guidance is needed contact the Enterprise Cloud Solution Office (ECSO), which is the body responsible for new software development in and migration of existing systems to the VA Enterprise Cloud (VAEC) and ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised within the VAEC. For information about Software as a Service (SaaS) products or to submit a SaaS product request with the VA OIT Product Engineering team, please use their online form. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[9]	This technology must use the latest TRM-approved version of Java Development Kit (JDK) - Oracle. Per the Initial Product Review, users must abide by the following constraints: The System Owner must reach out to the vendor and obtain and follow a secure configuration guide Apache Kafka and document in the A&A package. Apache Kafka must be configured to employ FIPS 140-2 encryption or a third party FIPS 140-2 solution must be acquired to ensure that VA Protected Health Information (PHI) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII) are protected. VA must acquire support with a third-party support organization that provides a Service Level Agreement that meets VA’s needs. Due to potential information security risks, Software as a Service/ Platform as a Service (SaaS/PaaS) solutions must complete the Veterans-Focused Integration Process Request (VIPR) process where a collaborative effort between Demand Management (DM), Enterprise Program Management Office Information Assurance (EPMO IA), Project Special Forces (PSF), Enterprise Cloud Solutions Office (ECSO), Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and stakeholders determines the SaaS/PaaS category during the Discovery Phase. All SaaS and Non-AWS/Azure (VAEC) PaaS assets are routed to EPMO IA for Analysis and Approval to Operate (ATO) with technical oversight, acquisition, production, and sustainment provided by PSF. Alternative solutions must only be approved if the comparable approved solution currently in place does not meet VA needs. Ensure that the latest version is installed. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Vulnerability Database should be referenced, and the product should be continuously monitored for security vulnerabilities.

Note:

At the time of writing, version 3.2.0 is the most current version, released 05/17/2022.

References

The following reference(s) are associated with this entry:
Type	Name	Source	Description
Vendor Provided*	Release Notes		This webpage outlines the most current version for the Apache Kafka technology.
*NOTE: Vendor provided information is subject to the accuracy of the manufacturer.

Technology Components

Note: This list may not be complete. No component, listed or unlisted, may be used outside of the technology in which it is released. The usage decision for a component is found in the Decision and Decision Constraints.
Name	Description
Kafka Connect	Kafka Connect is a utility included with Kafka that imports and exports data to Kafka. It is an extensible utility that runs connectors, which implement the custom logic for interacting with an external system.

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Domain Area	Category	Customer Guidance	Category Locked By ELT Date
Application Technology Integration Software	Messaging Oriented Middleware (MOM)

Open Source

This entry is available as an open source technology.

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

macOS - Approved w/Constraints
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) - Approved w/Constraints
Windows Client - Approved w/Constraints
Windows Server - Approved w/Constraints

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

This is a mature technology.
This technology is available at no cost through open-source licensing and supports VA`s open source initiative.
This technology has a comprehensive set of documentation.
This technology utilizes built-in Authentication and Authorization (A&A) capabilities.

Adoption Risks

A VA Secure Configuration Baseline for Apache Kafka does not exist.
Apache Kafka is an open source software obtained at no cost. It will require a third-party technical support for its implementation in an Enterprise environment. If commercial support is not available, the product will be without clearly defined support options which may result in suboptimal enterprise level support.
Apache Kafka is available for on-premise or cloud deployment.
There are other Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) approved comparable solutions, and the adoption of this technology could duplicate functionality and create compatibility issues.
There are published vulnerabilities that affect older versions of this software.
There are known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) associated with this technology. Please see https://nvd.NIST.gov/vuln/search for more details.
Due to the rapid release schedule of this technology, the VA may be unable to update to the most recent patch and may require a deployment model requiring the use of specific versions.
This technology relies on Java Development Kit (JDK) - Oracle, which has a rapid release and update schedule.
The product is not Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 certified but can be configured to employ a FIPS approved encryption.
This technology is available as freeware. If commercial support is not purchased, the product will be without clearly defined support options which may result in suboptimal enterprise level support.
There are other approved solutions that provide similar functionality available on the TRM. The use of several similar solutions may increase organization requirements for support and maintenance.

Architectural Benefits

This technology is portable across multiple VA-supported platforms.

Architectural Risks

This technology includes cloud-based functionality which has potential information security risks.

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Decision Constraints

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Technology Components

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Open Source

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Benefits

Architectural Risks

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VA Technical Reference Model v 24.7

General Information

Vendor Release Information

Current Decision Matrix (06/29/2022)

Decision Constraints

References

Technology Components

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Open Source

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Benefits

Architectural Risks

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