Releases

Strimzi 1.0.1 patches two CVEs and disables cross-namespace Entity Operator watching by default. The v1-only CRD API requirement from 1.0.0 remains enforced — no v1beta2/v1beta1/v1alpha1.

• securityPatch two CVEs — upgrade promptly

  CVE-2026-55225 and CVE-2026-55226 are fixed in 1.0.1. Details are in the Strimzi security advisories. Given both are fixed in the same patch release, treat this as a security-motivated upgrade and prioritize it over waiting for a convenient maintenance window.

• breakingEnable cross-namespace watching explicitly if you use watchedNamespace

  If your Kafka CR's Entity Operator section has watchedNamespace set to a namespace different from the Kafka cluster's namespace, the Topic or User Operator will stop watching it after upgrading. Before or immediately after upgrading, set STRIMZI_ENTITY_OPERATOR_WATCHED_NAMESPACE_ENABLED=true in your Cluster Operator deployment. Check all Kafka CRs across namespaces — missing this will silently break topic/user reconciliation.

• breakingComplete CRD migration to v1 before upgrading

  Strimzi 1.0.1 (like 1.0.0) only accepts v1 CRDs. If you skipped the migration step when moving to 1.0.0, or if you are upgrading from an older release directly, run the CRD conversion procedure documented in the Strimzi 1.0.1 deploying guide before applying the new operator manifests. Applying the operator without converted CRDs will cause reconciliation failures.

Strimzi 0.45.2 is the final patch release for the 0.45.x branch, focusing on critical CVE fixes and Kafka 3.9.2 support while serving as the last version supporting ZooKeeper-based clusters.

• securityApply patch immediately for CVE fixes

  This release addresses multiple high-priority CVEs in ZooKeeper, JWT libraries, and networking components. Upgrade to 0.45.2 immediately to patch these vulnerabilities, especially if you handle sensitive data or run internet-facing services.

• breakingMigrate to KRaft before upgrading beyond 0.45.x

  This is your last chance to run ZooKeeper-based Kafka clusters in Strimzi. Plan your KRaft migration now since Strimzi 0.46+ will only support KRaft mode. Follow the official KRaft migration guide and test thoroughly in non-production first.

• breakingHandle Kafka 3.9.2 annotation issue for future upgrades

  If you're using Kafka 3.9.2, upgrading to Strimzi 0.46-0.51 will require manually updating pod annotations. Save the provided kubectl command for when you upgrade: it updates the Kafka version annotation on pods to prevent operator failures.

Strimzi 0.51.0 addresses critical CVEs and drops support for Kubernetes versions below 1.30, while adding Kafka 4.2.0 support and moving ServerSideApplyPhase1 to beta.

• securityUpgrade immediately for CVE fixes

  Two critical CVEs affect Strimzi 0.47.0 and newer versions. Review the security advisories to determine if your deployment is affected, then upgrade to 0.50.1 or 0.51.0 immediately. The CVE numbers appear to be from 2026, which suggests these may be embargoed vulnerabilities with delayed disclosure.

• breakingVerify Kubernetes compatibility before upgrading

  Strimzi 0.51.0 requires Kubernetes 1.30+. Check your cluster version before upgrading. If running Kubernetes 1.27-1.29, upgrade your cluster first or remain on an earlier Strimzi version until cluster upgrade is possible.

• breakingUpdate CRDs and KafkaUser resources during upgrade

  Manually upgrade CRDs as part of the Strimzi upgrade process, especially when using Helm. For clusters upgrading from 0.48 or older, update KafkaUser resources to use the new `.spec.authorization.acls[]operations` field format before upgrading.

Strimzi 0.50.1 is a critical security patch addressing two CVEs affecting versions 0.47.0+, with mandatory CRD upgrades and final support for Kubernetes 1.27-1.29.

• securityImmediate upgrade required for CVE fixes

  If running Strimzi 0.47.0 or newer, immediately review the CVE advisories and upgrade to 0.50.1. These are critical security vulnerabilities that require urgent patching in production environments.

• breakingUpdate KafkaUser resources before upgrading

  Before upgrading, update all KafkaUser resources to use .spec.authorization.acls[]operations field instead of the deprecated .spec.authorization.acls[]operation field to avoid compatibility issues.

• breakingPlan Kubernetes upgrade for Strimzi 0.51+

  This is the final version supporting Kubernetes 1.27-1.29. Plan to upgrade your clusters to Kubernetes 1.30+ before upgrading to Strimzi 0.51.0 or newer to maintain compatibility.