Unsafe deserialization in Apache Camel camel-hazelcast
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-502.
Summary
Apache Camel from 4.0.0 before 4.18.5 and from 4.19.0 before 4.22.1 is affected. The camel-hazelcast component creates Hazelcast instances on two configuration paths that lack the Java deserialization filter added for CVE-2026-43865, so values read from the cluster are deserialized without class restrictions (CWE-502). A remote attacker able to publish into the affected Hazelcast cluster can run code by sending a serialized Java object.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
Description from the CNA
Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in Apache Camel. This issue affects Apache Camel: from 4.0.0 before 4.18.5, from 4.19.0 before 4.22.1. The camel-hazelcast component applies a default Hazelcast JavaSerializationFilterConfig to the instances it creates from its own configuration, a protection introduced by CVE-2026-43865. That change did not reach two of the configuration paths Camel builds itself, so those paths continued to create Hazelcast instances whose Java deserialization is unrestricted. ReplicatedHazelcastAggregationRepository extends HazelcastAggregationRepository but overrides doStart() without calling super.doStart(), keeping its own copy of the bootstrap block, and therefore never received the filter: a route using it without supplying a hazelcastInstance starts a Hazelcast member that deserializes values read from the backing ReplicatedMap with no class restriction. HazelcastDefaultComponent#getOrCreateHzClientInstance() builds its own ClientConfig when hazelcastMode=client is selected and neither a referenced ClientConfig nor hazelcastConfigUri is supplied, and likewise applied no filter, so client-mode endpoints behaved differently from node-mode endpoints for an otherwise identical configuration. In both cases an attacker able to publish into the Hazelcast cluster that the affected instance is attached to can cause a serialized Java object of their choosing to be deserialized inside Hazelcast's own serialization layer, before Camel processes the exchange, resulting in remote code execution. Hazelcast clusters have neither authentication nor TLS enabled by default. Selecting client mode is a topology choice rather than a security option, so neither path required the deployment to opt in to unsafe behaviour. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 4.23.0, which fixes the issue. If users are on the 4.22.x releases stream, then they are suggested to upgrade to 4.22.1. If users are on the 4.18.x releases stream, then they are suggested to upgrade to 4.18.5. The 4.14.x releases stream and earlier reached end of life before this issue was resolved and will not receive a fix, so deployments on those lines must move to a supported release. For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately, supply an explicit Hazelcast configuration carrying a JavaSerializationFilterConfig, or inject a pre-built HazelcastInstance, since a user-supplied configuration is never overwritten by Camel. Alternatively set the JVM-wide filter -Djdk.serialFilter=!java.net.;java.;javax.;org.apache.camel.;!* and enable Hazelcast cluster authentication and TLS to restrict who can reach the cluster.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
Upgrade to Apache Camel 4.23.0, to 4.22.1 on the 4.22.x stream, or to 4.18.5 on the 4.18.x stream. Releases 4.14.x and earlier reached end of life and will not receive a fix, so move those deployments to a supported release. Until then, supply an explicit Hazelcast configuration with a JavaSerializationFilterConfig or inject a pre-built HazelcastInstance.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
- Fix · CNA Apache Camel (Apache Software Foundation) Fixed in 4.18.5, 4.22.1, 4.23.0
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
Apache Camel 4.18.5, 4.22.1
39 records Highest priority Priority HIGH 6 HIGH, 9 MEDIUM, 24 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2026-76339 Path traversal in Apache Camel azure-files componentPriority HIGH 74
- TI-2026-76330 Path traversal in Apache Camel FTP consumer escapes polled directoryPriority HIGH 74
- TI-2026-76325 Unfiltered Java deserialization in Apache Camel Spring Redis componentPriority HIGH 73
Timeline
- 2026-10-19 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-78162
- 2026-10-19 Alias added: GHSA-7j2m-8x69-fhvh
- 2026-10-20 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-20 Priority changed: MEDIUM → HIGH
- 2026-11-03 CVSS score added · NVD
References
Patch 8
- Apache Camel Security Advisory - CVE-2026-78162
- CAMEL-24413
- CAMEL-24420
- CAMEL-24413 fix on main, for 4.23.0 (commit 27836f4c17ed8cf33f1ef4dff9daed903b1b8907)
- CAMEL-24420 fix on main, for 4.23.0 (commit 07318cfe7e07379a6155117d9c2cf27e99af4687)
- Backport of both fixes to camel-4.22.x, for 4.22.1 (commit 02a864ba28f80bf8076f00aa2094c46377a74f43)
- Backport of both fixes to camel-4.18.x, for 4.18.5 (commit aea69111dc3ff1f8a32271fc95632aee32eb3f37)
- CVE-2026-43865 - the earlier advisory whose fix was incomplete
More Apache Camel vulnerabilities
- 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
- TI-2026-25849 Mass assignment in Apache Camel CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
Sources
- CVE-2026-78162 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-78162 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-7j2m-8x69-fhvh · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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