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 header filter, allowing an HTTP client to redirect Kafka messages to an arbitrary topic
Description
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.
INFO
Published Date :
July 6, 2026, 9:16 a.m.
Last Modified :
July 6, 2026, 10:10 a.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
[email protected]
Solution
- Upgrade to Apache Camel 4.21.0 or later.
- Upgrade to LTS 4.14.8 or 4.18.3 if applicable.
- Use CamelKafka* header names post-upgrade.
- Filter 'kafka.*' headers from untrusted ingress if upgrade is delayed.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-49098.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://camel.apache.org/security/CVE-2026-49098.html |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-49098 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-49098
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-49098 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-49098 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
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CVE Translated by [email protected]
Jul. 06, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Translation Title: Apache Camel Kafka, Description: Vulnerabilidad por validación inadecuada de entradas y neutralización incorrecta de elementos especiales en la salida utilizada por un componente posterior (inyección) en el componente Apache Camel Kafka. El productor camel-kafka puede anular el tema de destino configurado en tiempo de ejecución a través del encabezado kafka.OVERRIDE_TOPIC de Exchange: KafkaProducer.evaluateTopic() devuelve el valor del encabezado en lugar del tema configurado en el punto final. Las constantes de los encabezados de control en KafkaConstants (por ejemplo, OVERRIDE_TOPIC = kafka.OVERRIDE_TOPIC, OVERRIDE_TIMESTAMP = kafka.OVERRIDE_TIMESTAMP, PARTITION_KEY = kafka. PARTITION_KEY) utilizan valores simples, sin prefijo Camel. La propia estrategia KafkaHeaderFilterStrategy de camel-kafka filtra el espacio de nombres kafka.*, pero solo en el límite de serialización de Kafka a Exchange (al leer los encabezados de los registros de Kafka en Exchange y al escribir los encabezados de Exchange en un registro de Kafka); no se aplica a los encabezados que llegan desde un consumidor anterior en una ruta de múltiples componentes. El consumidor HTTP anterior utiliza HttpHeaderFilterStrategy, que solo bloquea el espacio de nombres Camel / camel, por lo que un encabezado kafka.* pasa sin ser filtrado. Como resultado, en una ruta que conecta un consumidor HTTP (por ejemplo, platform-http) con un productor kafka:, cualquier cliente HTTP podría establecer el encabezado kafka.OVERRIDE_TOPIC y provocar que el mensaje se publique en un tema de Kafka arbitrario en lugar del configurado, redirigiéndolo a un tema interno sensible o inyectando mensajes creados por un atacante en un tema consumido por un servicio crítico posterior. Los encabezados relacionados kafka.OVERRIDE_TIMESTAMP y kafka.PARTITION_KEY también podrían inyectarse para antedatar mensajes o dirigirlos a particiones específicas. No se requieren credenciales cuando el consumidor puente no está autenticado. Este problema afecta a Apache Camel: desde la versión 4.0.0 hasta la 4.14.8, desde la 4.15.0 hasta la 4.18.3 y desde la 4.19.0 hasta la 4.21.0. Se recomienda a los usuarios que actualicen a la versión 4.21.0, que corrige el problema. Si los usuarios utilizan las versiones LTS de la rama 4.14.x, se les sugiere que actualicen a la 4.14.8. Si los usuarios utilizan las versiones de la rama 4.18.x, se les sugiere que actualicen a la 4.18.3. Tras la actualización, las rutas que establezcan o lean encabezados de Kafka mediante los nombres de encabezado sin formato deben utilizar los nombres CamelKafka* (por ejemplo, CamelKafkaOverrideTopic y CamelKafkaTopic) en lugar de los antiguos valores kafka.*. En el caso de las implementaciones que no puedan actualizarse de inmediato, elimine los encabezados «kafka.*» de cualquier entrada no fiable antes del productor kafka: (por ejemplo, removeHeaders(“kafka.*”) al inicio de la ruta) y establezca el tema de destino a partir de una fuente fiable. -
New CVE Received by [email protected]
Jul. 06, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'vendor': 'Apache Software Foundation', 'product': 'Apache Camel', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '4.0.0', 'lessThan': '4.14.8', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '4.15.0', 'lessThan': '4.18.3', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '4.19.0', 'lessThan': '4.21.0', 'versionType': 'semver'}], 'packageName': 'org.apache.camel:camel-kafka', 'collectionURL': 'https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2', 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}] Added Description 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. Added CWE CWE-20 Added CWE CWE-74 Added Reference https://camel.apache.org/security/CVE-2026-49098.html