Apache Camel: Deserialization of Untrusted Data
CVE-2026-33454 is a critical-severity deserialization of untrusted data vulnerability in Apache Camel from Apache, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.4 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 4.14.6, 4.18.1 as the first without the flaw, so updating Apache Camel to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.49% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 75% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update Apache Camel to 4.14.6 or 4.18.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Camel to 4.14.6 or 4.18.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on camel.apache.org for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apache | Apache Camel | 3.0.0 up to, but not including, 4.14.6; 4.15.0 up to, but not including, 4.18.1 | 4.14.6, 4.18.1 |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Build of Apache Camel 4.14 for Quarkus 3.27 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat build of Apache Camel 4.18.1 for Spring Boot 3.5.14 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat build of Apache Camel 4 for Quarkus 3 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat build of Apache Camel for Spring Boot 4 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat build of Apache Camel - HawtIO 4 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Fuse 7 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 8 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform Expansion Pack | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Process Automation 7 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Apache | Camel | 3.0.0 up to, but not including, 4.14.6; 4.15.0 up to, but not including, 4.18.1 | 4.14.6, 4.18.1 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- LowPerformance or availability is reduced.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L. Scored by CNA.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.4 | Critical | CISA (ADP) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.4 | Critical | CNA |
Official description
The Camel-Mail component is vulnerable to Camel message header injection. The custom header filter strategy used by the component (MailHeaderFilterStrategy) only filters the 'out' direction via setOutFilterStartsWith, while it does not configure the 'in' direction via setInFilterStartsWith. As a result, when a Camel application consumes mail through camel-mail (for example via from(\"imap://...\") or from(\"pop3://...\")) the inbound filter check is skipped and Camel-prefixed MIME headers are mapped unfiltered into the Exchange. An attacker who can deliver an email to a mailbox monitored by such a consumer can inject Camel-specific headers that, for some Camel components downstream of the mail consumer (such as camel-bean, camel-exec, or camel-sql), can alter the behaviour of the route. This is the same pattern that was previously addressed in camel-undertow (CVE-2025-30177) and the broader incoming-header filter (CVE-2025-27636 and CVE-2025-29891). This issue affects Apache Camel: from 3.0.0 before 4.14.6, from 4.15.0 before 4.18.1. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 4.19.0, which fixes the issue. If users are on the 4.18.x LTS releases stream, then they are suggested to upgrade to 4.18.1. If users are on the 4.14.x LTS releases stream, then they are suggested to upgrade to 4.14.6.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Deserialization of Untrusted Data
The product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently ensuring that the resulting data will be valid.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- If available, use the signing/sealing features of the programming language to assure that deserialized data has not been tainted. For example, a hash-based message authentication code (HMAC) could be used to ensure that data has not been modified.
- When deserializing data, populate a new object rather than just deserializing. The result is that the data flows through safe input validation and that the functions are safe.
- Explicitly define a final object() to prevent deserialization.
More Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerabilities (CWE-502)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in Apache Camel
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
Recent Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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