Improper Input Validation vulnerability in Apache Camel AWS SNS component.
CVE-2026-56140 is a critical-severity improper input validation vulnerability in Apache Camel AWS2 SNS from Apache, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 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 4.14.8, 4.18.3, 4.21.0 as the first without the flaw, so updating Apache Camel AWS2 SNS to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.74% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 55% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update Apache Camel AWS2 SNS to 4.14.8 or 4.18.3 or 4.21.0, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Camel to 4.14.8 or 4.18.3 or 4.21.0, 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 AWS2 SNS | 4.0.0 up to, but not including, 4.14.8; 4.15.0 up to, but not including, 4.18.3; 4.19.0 up to, but not including, 4.21.0 | 4.14.8, 4.18.3, 4.21.0 |
| Apache | Camel | 4.0.0 up to, but not including, 4.14.8; 4.15.0 up to, but not including, 4.18.3; 4.19.0 up to, but not including, 4.21.0 | 4.14.8, 4.18.3, 4.21.0 |
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
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
Improper Input Validation vulnerability in Apache Camel AWS SNS component. The camel-aws2-sns component filters Camel headers through a component-specific HeaderFilterStrategy, Sns2HeaderFilterStrategy. Like the sibling Sqs2HeaderFilterStrategy, it originally configured only an outbound filter (setOutFilterPattern, which blocks Camel*, breadcrumbId and org.apache.camel.* headers from being written out) and did not configure an inbound filter rule. For the related camel-aws2-sqs component this inbound gap was exploitable, because the Sqs2Consumer maps inbound SQS message attributes into the Camel Exchange via HeaderFilterStrategy.applyFilterToExternalHeaders, allowing a message sender to inject Camel control headers (tracked as CVE-2026-46456). camel-aws2-sns, by contrast, is producer-only: Sns2Endpoint does not support consumers (createConsumer throws UnsupportedOperationException, 'You cannot receive messages from this endpoint'), so no externally-supplied message attributes are ever mapped inbound into a Camel Exchange through SNS, and the missing inbound filter rule on Sns2HeaderFilterStrategy was therefore not reachable by an attacker. As part of the same fix (CAMEL-23506), an inbound filter rule (setInFilterStartsWith for the Camel namespace) was added to Sns2HeaderFilterStrategy so that its configuration matches the corrected Sqs2HeaderFilterStrategy and the other sibling strategies. This is a defense-in-depth alignment with no known exploit path in camel-aws2-sns. This issue affects Apache Camel: from 4.0.0 before 4.14.8, from 4.15.0 before 4.18.3, from 4.19.0 before 4.21.0. This is a defense-in-depth hardening change with no known exploit path in camel-aws2-sns, which is producer-only, so no urgent action or workaround is required. Users who want the aligned behaviour can upgrade to version 4.21.0, or to 4.14.8 on the 4.14.x LTS releases stream, or to 4.18.3 on the 4.18.x releases stream, which contain the change. As a general best practice, operators should continue to apply least-privilege IAM permissions on their SNS topics.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Input Validation
The product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Consider using language-theoretic security (LangSec) techniques that characterize inputs using a formal language and build recognizers for that language. This effectively requires parsing to be a distinct layer that effectively enforces a boundary between raw input and internal data representations, instead of allowing parser code to be scattered throughout the program, where it could be subject to errors or inconsistencies that create weaknesses.
- Use an input validation framework such as Struts or the OWASP ESAPI Validation API. Note that using a framework does not automatically address all input validation problems; be mindful of weaknesses that could arise from misusing the framework itself (CWE-1173).
- Understand all the potential areas where untrusted inputs can enter the product, including but not limited to: parameters or arguments, cookies, anything read from the network, environment variables, reverse DNS lookups, query results, request headers, URL components, e-mail, files, filenames, databases, and any external systems that provide data to the application. Remember that such inputs may be obtained indirectly through API calls.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Recent Improper Input Validation vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 10.0 Critical severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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