Improper input validation in Apache Camel
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · Low · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA and GitHub.
Summary
Improper Input Validation, Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection') vulnerability in Apache Camel IRC component. The camel-irc producer chooses the destination of an outgoing IRC message from the irc.sendTo Exchange header (the constant IrcConstants.IRC_SEND_TO, value irc.sendTo); when that header is present it overrides the channel list configured on the endpoint, and the message is sent only to the specified destination. This and the component's other control headers (irc.target, irc.messageType, irc.user.*, irc.num, irc.value) used plain, non-Camel-prefixed values. Because these names do not start with the Camel / camel prefix, HttpHeaderFilterStrategy - which blocks only the Camel header namespace on the HTTP boundary - let them pass from an inbound HTTP request straight into the Exchange. In a route that bridges an HTTP consumer (for example platform-http) into an irc: producer, any HTTP client could therefore set the irc.sendTo header and redirect a message that the route intended for a configured channel to an arbitrary IRC channel or user - exfiltrating the message content to an attacker-chosen nickname, leaking it into a public channel, or delivering messages that appear to come from the bot. 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 IRC headers via the raw header names must use the CamelIrc* names (for example CamelIrcSendTo) instead of the old irc.* values. For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately, strip the irc.* headers from any untrusted ingress before the irc: producer (for example removeHeaders('irc.*') at the start of the route), and set the IRC destination from a trusted source.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apache | Apache Camel | 4.0.0 to before 4.14.8; 4.15.0 to before 4.18.3; 4.19.0 to before 4.21.0 | 4.14.8, 4.18.3, 4.21.0 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | org.apache.camel:camel-irc (Maven) | 4.0.0 to before 4.14.8 | 4.14.8 | Patch available | GHSA-463m-2hr2-q2j7 |
| — | org.apache.camel:camel-irc (Maven) | 4.15.0 to before 4.18.3 | 4.18.3 | Patch available | GHSA-463m-2hr2-q2j7 |
| — | org.apache.camel:camel-irc (Maven) | 4.19.0 to before 4.21.0 | 4.21.0 | Patch available | GHSA-463m-2hr2-q2j7 |
- Apache Camel VendorApache Affected 4.0.0 to before 4.14.8; 4.15.0 to before 4.18.3; 4.19.0 to before 4.21.0 Fixed in 4.14.8, 4.18.3, 4.21.0 Patch available CNA
- org.apache.camel:camel-irc (Maven) Vendor— Affected 4.0.0 to before 4.14.8 Fixed in 4.14.8 Patch available GHSA-463m-2hr2-q2j7
- org.apache.camel:camel-irc (Maven) Vendor— Affected 4.15.0 to before 4.18.3 Fixed in 4.18.3 Patch available GHSA-463m-2hr2-q2j7
- org.apache.camel:camel-irc (Maven) Vendor— Affected 4.19.0 to before 4.21.0 Fixed in 4.21.0 Patch available GHSA-463m-2hr2-q2j7
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:apache:camel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.0.0 to before 4.14.8; 4.15.0 to before 4.18.3; 4.19.0 to before 4.21.0 | Vulnerable | Apache |
- cpe:2.3:a:apache:camel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.0.0 to before 4.14.8; 4.15.0 to before 4.18.3; 4.19.0 to before 4.21.0 Vulnerable ·Apache
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Apache Camel (Apache Software Foundation) Fixed in 4.14.8, 4.18.3, 4.21.0
- Fix · GHSA-463m-2hr2-q2j7 org.apache.camel:camel-irc (Maven) Fixed in 4.14.8 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-463m-2hr2-q2j7 org.apache.camel:camel-irc (Maven) Fixed in 4.18.3 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-463m-2hr2-q2j7 org.apache.camel:camel-irc (Maven) Fixed in 4.21.0 Advisory →
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
Apache Camel 4.14.8, 4.18.3, 4.21.0
14 records Highest priority Priority MEDIUM 7 MEDIUM, 7 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2026-35614 Improper input validation in Apache CamelPriority MEDIUM 50
- TI-2026-34159 Improper input validation in Apache CamelPriority MEDIUM 50
- TI-2026-34157 Improper input validation in Apache CamelPriority MEDIUM 50
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-49097
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-463m-2hr2-q2j7
References
Advisory 3
Other 11
- https://github.com/apache/camel/pull/23594
- https://github.com/apache/camel/pull/23616
- https://github.com/apache/camel/pull/23635
- https://github.com/apache/camel/commit/0be886bf433c718abe4a27498245f6898366fb0c
- https://github.com/apache/camel/commit/18b64b47fda68b15f4eb9f7ce8148c8b9ec819a0
- https://github.com/apache/camel/commit/2959633a6dd51a9736a9efaedaa843548fcd2d3e
- https://github.com/apache/camel
- https://github.com/apache/camel/releases/tag/camel-4.14.8
- https://github.com/apache/camel/releases/tag/camel-4.18.3
- https://github.com/apache/camel/releases/tag/camel-4.21.0
- https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/CAMEL-23629
More Apache Camel vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-76322 Unsafe deserialization in Apache Camel camel-hazelcast CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2026-18973 Apache Camel: Camel-Keycloak: Cross-Realm Token Acceptance Bypass in KeycloakSecurityPolicy CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
- TI-2026-76339 Path traversal in Apache Camel azure-files component CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
- TI-2026-76330 Path traversal in Apache Camel FTP consumer escapes polled directory CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
- TI-2025-20435 Apache Camel: Camel Message Header Injection via Improper Filtering CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.6
- TI-2026-34899 Apache Camel: Camel-CXF Message Header Injection via Missing Inbound Filtering CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
- CVE-2026-49097 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-49097 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-463m-2hr2-q2j7 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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