Skip to content
Noroxi
NVD / CVE Program· CNA apache

CVE-2026-49098: Apache Camel: Camel-Kafka: The kafka.OVERRIDE_TOPIC (and other kafka.*) Exchange header constants used non-Camel-prefixed names that bypass the upstream HTTP he

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 21/100)

  • Public proof-of-concept code exists (GitHub); there is no record of exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.60% (FIRST EPSS).
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • According to CISA the attack is automatable: targets can be found by mass scanning.
  • Fixed version: Apache Software Foundation Apache Camel 4.14.8, 4.18.3, 4.21.0.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Apache Software Foundation Apache Camel 4.14.8, 4.18.3, 4.21.0 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

Improper Input Validation, Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection') vulnerability in Apache Camel Kafka Component. The camel-kafka producer can override its configured target topic at runtime from the kafka.OVERRIDE_TOPIC Exchange header: KafkaProducer.evaluateTopic() returns the header value in preference to the topic configured on the endpoint. The control-header constants in KafkaConstants (for example OVERRIDE_TOPIC = kafka.OVERRIDE_TOPIC, OVERRIDE_TIMESTAMP = kafka.OVERRIDE_TIMESTAMP, PARTITION_KEY = kafka.PARTITION_KEY) used plain, non-Camel-prefixed values. camel-kafka's own KafkaHeaderFilterStrategy does filter the kafka.* namespace, but only on the Kafka-to-Exchange serialization boundary (reading Kafka record headers into the Exchange, and writing Exchange headers into a Kafka record); it does not apply to headers that arrive from an upstream consumer in a multi-component route. The upstream HTTP consumer uses HttpHeaderFilterStrategy, which blocks only the Camel / camel namespace, so a kafka.* header passes through unfiltered. As a result, in a route that bridges an HTTP consumer (for example platform-http) into a kafka: producer, any HTTP client could set the kafka.OVERRIDE_TOPIC header and cause the message to be published to an arbitrary Kafka topic instead of the configured one - redirecting it to a sensitive internal topic, or injecting attacker-crafted messages into a topic consumed by a critical downstream service. The related kafka.OVERRIDE_TIMESTAMP and kafka.PARTITION_KEY headers could likewise be injected to backdate messages or target specific partitions. No credentials are required when the bridging consumer is unauthenticated. 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. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 4.21.0, which fixes the issue. If users are on the 4.14.x LTS releases stream, then they are suggested to upgrade to 4.14.8. If users are on the 4.18.x releases stream, then they are suggested to upgrade to 4.18.3. After upgrading, routes that set or read Kafka headers via the raw header names must use the CamelKafka* names (for example CamelKafkaOverrideTopic and CamelKafkaTopic) instead of the old kafka.* values. For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately, strip the kafka.* headers from any untrusted ingress before the kafka: producer (for example removeHeaders('kafka.*') at the start of the route), and set the target topic from a trusted source.

MediumCVSS 5.3 · v3.1—Proof of concept Fix available
Published
Jul 6, 2026
Updated
Jul 7, 2026
EPSS
0.6% · 49th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

21

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
21 / 40 · 5.3 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.6%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
none
Automatable
yes
Technical impact
partial

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • Proof of concept exists, no weaponized module
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

Follow CVE-2026-49098

When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

One daily email digest (06:00 UTC); connect a webhook for KEV listings and weaponized exploits instantly.

Your free account also gets you

Running WordPress? Scan your site free with WP Lens

  • Stack alerts: add the products and versions you run, get the new CVEs that affect them
  • Uptime monitoring: 1 site, instant email when it goes down
  • Add your domain: subdomains and takeover risk scanned every week (1 domain)
  • 10 scans an hour on the security tools (3 a day without an account), an API key and MCP
  • All your scans in one panel: findings, what changed in the last scan, a report per domain or per client (PDF, share link)
All free tools

Sign up with email · Have an account? Sign in

Free account, no card. Unfollow any time.

Don't want an account? Get "Exploited this week" by email every MondayDon't want an account? RSS feed for apache records

Running WordPress? Scan your site free with WP Lens

Is your version affected? Check it

Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

We use this product, ask for help

Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
apachecamel

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • apache camel4.0.0 and later · before 4.14.8
  • apache camel4.15.0 and later · before 4.18.3
  • apache camel4.19.0 and later · before 4.21.0

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (apache). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Apache Software Foundation Apache Camel

    • 4.0.0 and later · before 4.14.8affected · semver
    • 4.15.0 and later · before 4.18.3affected · semver
    • 4.19.0 and later · before 4.21.0affected · semver

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Mavenorg.apache.camel:camel-kafkafrom 4.0.0 · before 4.14.84.14.8
Mavenorg.apache.camel:camel-kafkafrom 4.15.0 · before 4.18.34.18.3
Mavenorg.apache.camel:camel-kafkafrom 4.19.0 · before 4.21.04.21.0

Same product

apache: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2025-27636Apache Camel: Camel Message Header Injection via Improper Filtering
    51Plan
  • CVE-2026-47323Apache Camel: Camel-CXF Message Header Injection via Missing Inbound Filtering
    45Plan
  • CVE-2026-33453Apache Camel: CoAP URI Query Parameter to Exchange Header Injection in camel-coap Allows Single-Packet Pre-Auth Remote Code Execution
    43Plan

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2026-40858Apr 27, 2026 · Apache Camel: Camel-Infinispan: Unsafe Deserialization in Remote Aggregation Repository
    35Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2026-27172Apr 27, 2026 · Apache Camel: Unsafe Java deserialization in camel-consul ConsulRegistry allows arbitrary code execution via malicious values read from the Consul KV store
    35Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2026-49099Jul 6, 2026 · Apache Camel Salesforce: Non-Camel-prefixed Exchange header constants bypass the HTTP header filter, allowing an HTTP client to influence internal behaviour
    21Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Apache Software Foundation Apache Camel4.14.8Vendor (CNA)
Apache Software Foundation Apache Camel4.18.3Vendor (CNA)
Apache Software Foundation Apache Camel4.21.0Vendor (CNA)
Maven:org.apache.camel:camel-kafka4.14.8Package registry (OSV)
Maven:org.apache.camel:camel-kafka4.18.3Package registry (OSV)
Maven:org.apache.camel:camel-kafka4.21.0Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

Proof of concept available

A public proof of concept or detection signature exists. Exploit knowledge is out there; don't delay patching.

Evidence

  • Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×1

Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.

Public exploit evidence
SourceKindDate
Proof-of-concept repository on GitHubstars:02026-07-20

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

  1. Published
  2. First PoC+14 d
  3. TodayNov 4, 2026+121 d

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

  • CVE-2026-464540 days apartApache Camel: Camel-Cometd: Inbound Bayeux message headers are mapped into the Exchange without a HeaderFilterStrategy, allowing unauthenticated clients to inje
    39Monitor
  • CVE-2026-464560 days apartApache Camel: Camel-AWS2-SQS: Inbound message attributes are mapped into the Exchange without an inbound HeaderFilterStrategy, allowing a message sender to inje
    39Monitor
  • CVE-2026-482040 days apartApache Camel: Camel-MongoDB-GridFS: The gridfs.* control headers used non-Camel-prefixed names that bypass the HTTP header filter, allowing an HTTP client to sw
    39Monitor
  • CVE-2026-561400 days apartApache Camel AWS2 SNS: An inbound Camel-namespace filter was added to Sns2HeaderFilterStrategy to align it with sibling components
    39Monitor
  • CVE-2026-7130049 days apartApache Camel: Camel-Atmosphere-Websocket: WebSocket dispatch header injection
    39Monitor
  • CVE-2026-7832949 days apartApache Camel: Camel-Undertow: the endpoint discarded the undertow-specific header filter strategy in favour of the base HTTP one, so the undertow filtering neve
    39Monitor

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
low · data can be read
Integrity
none
Availability
none
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
Low
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
None

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-20 · Improper Input Validation

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

nvd-secondary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (1 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records