CVE-2026-33453 Apache camel-coap allows header injection that can lead to remote code execution

Critical 10.0 Published 27 Apr 2026 Updated 15 Jul 2026

Unauthenticated attackers can inject headers via CoAP query parameters to execute arbitrary OS commands when routes use sensitive producers like camel-exec.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Not needed
Attackable: Over the internet
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: Available

What is CVE-2026-33453?

CVE-2026-33453 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Apache Camel, published on 27 Apr 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

Official description

Improperly Controlled Modification of Dynamically-Determined Object Attributes vulnerability in Apache Camel Camel-Coap component.

Apache Camel's camel-coap component is vulnerable to Camel message header injection, leading to remote code execution when routes forward CoAP requests to header-sensitive producers (e.g. camel-exec)

The camel-coap component maps incoming CoAP request URI query parameters directly into Camel Exchange In message headers without applying any HeaderFilterStrategy. Specifically, CamelCoapResource.handleRequest() iterates over OptionSet.getUriQuery() and calls camelExchange.getIn().setHeader(...) for every query parameter. CoAPEndpoint extends DefaultEndpoint rather than DefaultHeaderFilterStrategyEndpoint, and CoAPComponent does not implement HeaderFilterStrategyComponent; the component contains no references to HeaderFilterStrategy at all.

As a result, an unauthenticated attacker who can send a single CoAP UDP packet to a Camel route consuming from coap:// can inject arbitrary Camel internal headers (those prefixed with Camel*) into the Exchange. When the route delivers the message to a header-sensitive producer such as camel-exec, camel-sql, camel-bean, camel-file, or template components (camel-freemarker, camel-velocity), the injected headers can alter the producer's behavior. In the case of camel-exec, the CamelExecCommandExecutable and CamelExecCommandArgs headers override the executable and arguments configured on the endpoint, resulting in arbitrary OS command execution under the privileges of the Camel process.

The producer's output is written back to the Exchange body and returned in the CoAP response payload by CamelCoapResource, giving the attacker an interactive RCE channel without any need for out-of-band exfiltration. Exploitation prerequisites are minimal: a single unauthenticated UDP datagram to the CoAP port (default 5683). CoAP (RFC 7252) has no built-in authentication, and DTLS is optional and disabled by default. Because the protocol is UDP-based, HTTP-layer WAF/IDS controls do not apply. This issue affects Apache Camel: from 4.14.0 through 4.14.5, from 4.18.0 before 4.18.1, 4.19.0.

Users are recommended to upgrade to version 4.18.1 or 4.19.0, fixing the issue.

Weakness: CWE-915

Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-33453?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.camel:camel-coap. It affects 1 product.

Package	Affected	Fixed in
`org.apache.camel:camel-coap` Maven	From `4.14.0`	`4.14.6`
`org.apache.camel:camel-coap` Maven	From `4.14.0`	`4.14.6`
`org.apache.camel:camel-coap` Maven	From `4.18.0`	`4.18.1`
`org.apache.camel:camel-coap` Maven	From `4.18.0`	`4.18.1`

Products include Apache Camel.

How do I fix CVE-2026-33453?

Upgrade org.apache.camel:camel-coap to a fixed version for your release line: 4.14.6 or 4.18.1.

Upgrade, and never evaluate templates, expressions or code built from user input. More about Code injection.

Is CVE-2026-33453 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-33453 exists.

Public exploit code: 1 Nuclei template and 2 proofs of concept on GitHub.

All Apache Camel vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as GHSA-695c-x5gc-94gj.