# CVE-2026-46453: Apache Camel-Elasticsearch-Rest-Client: Exchange header constants without the Camel prefix bypass inbound HTTP header filtering, allowing untrusted clients to override the Elasticsearch query and operation > Untrusted HTTP clients can override Elasticsearch query and operation headers in Apache Camel routes, allowing unauthorized data access or modification. - **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Not needed - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 6 Jul 2026 - **Updated:** 6 Jul 2026 - **Also known as:** GHSA-rp9m-hfv5-pfvr ## What is CVE-2026-46453? CVE-2026-46453 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Apache Camel, published on 6 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. ### Official description Improper Input Validation, Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key vulnerability in Apache Camel ElasticSearch Rest Client. The camel-elasticsearch-rest-client component reads several Exchange headers to control its behaviour - SEARCH_QUERY (an advanced query body), OPERATION (which Elasticsearch operation to run), INDEX_NAME, INDEX_SETTINGS and ID. The string values of these header constants, defined in ElasticSearchRestClientConstant, are plain unprefixed names ('SEARCH_QUERY', 'OPERATION', 'INDEX_NAME', 'INDEX_SETTINGS', 'ID') rather than the 'Camel'-prefixed names used by every other Camel component (for example CamelSqlQuery, CamelMongoDbCriteria, CamelCqlQuery). Camel's inbound HTTP header filter, HttpHeaderFilterStrategy, blocks only header names that begin with 'Camel' or 'camel'. Because the Elasticsearch header names do not carry that prefix, they pass through the inbound filter unchanged. When a Camel route exposes an HTTP entry point (for example platform-http) in front of an elasticsearch-rest-client producer, an untrusted HTTP client can set these headers directly on its request and override the query and operation that the route author configured: reading every document in the index (SEARCH_QUERY with a match_all query), deleting documents (OPERATION set to Delete together with ID), or exfiltrating selected fields. No credentials are required and the producer reads the headers unconditionally. This issue affects Apache Camel: from 4.3.0 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. The fix renames the camel-elasticsearch-rest-client Exchange header constant string values (ID, SEARCH_QUERY, INDEX_SETTINGS, INDEX_NAME, OPERATION) to carry the Camel prefix (CamelElasticsearchId, CamelElasticsearchSearchQuery, CamelElasticsearchIndexSettings, CamelElasticsearchIndexName, CamelElasticsearchOperation) so that they are blocked by the inbound HttpHeaderFilterStrategy; the Java field names are unchanged. For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately, strip the affected headers from untrusted inbound messages before they reach the producer (for example removeHeader('SEARCH_QUERY'), removeHeader('OPERATION'), removeHeader('INDEX_NAME'), removeHeader('INDEX_SETTINGS') and removeHeader('ID') in front of the elasticsearch-rest-client endpoint), or apply a custom HeaderFilterStrategy that blocks these names. Weakness: CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key), CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-46453? 6 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.camel:camel-elasticsearch-rest-client. It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `org.apache.camel:camel-elasticsearch-rest-client` | Maven | From 4.15.0 | 4.18.3 | | `org.apache.camel:camel-elasticsearch-rest-client` | Maven | From 4.15.0 | 4.18.3 | | `org.apache.camel:camel-elasticsearch-rest-client` | Maven | From 4.19.0 | 4.21.0 | | `org.apache.camel:camel-elasticsearch-rest-client` | Maven | From 4.19.0 | 4.21.0 | | `org.apache.camel:camel-elasticsearch-rest-client` | Maven | From 4.3.0 | 4.14.8 | | `org.apache.camel:camel-elasticsearch-rest-client` | Maven | From 4.3.0 | 4.14.8 | Products: Apache Camel. ## How do I fix CVE-2026-46453? Upgrade org.apache.camel:camel-elasticsearch-rest-client to a fixed version for your release line: 4.18.3, 4.21.0 or 4.14.8. ## Is CVE-2026-46453 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-46453 in the wild and no public exploit code. Public exploit code: - Reproducer for CVE-2026-46453 — Apache Camel camel-elasticsearch-rest-client unprefixed-header injection (operation/query override via inbound HTTP headers) (github_poc): https://github.com/oscerd/CVE-2026-46453 ## Other vulnerabilities in Apache Camel - [CVE-2026-33453](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-33453/): Apache camel-coap allows header injection that can lead to remote code execution (critical 10.0) - [CVE-2026-40453](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40453/): Apache Camel has an incomplete fix for CVE-2025-27636 (critical 9.9) - [CVE-2026-80351](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-80351/): Apache Camel K: Camel K Tenant repositories reach Maven execution inside operator pod (critical 9.8) - [CVE-2026-80352](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-80352/): Apache Camel K: Camel K Master trait serviceAccountName YAML injection lets CR author apply arbitrary objects (critical 9.8) - [CVE-2026-71300](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-71300/): Apache Camel: Camel-Atmosphere-Websocket: WebSocket dispatch header injection (critical 9.8) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2026-46453 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2026-46453 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Apache Camel, published on 6 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-46453 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - org.apache.camel:camel-elasticsearch-rest-client (Maven): affected from 4.15.0; fixed in 4.18.3 - org.apache.camel:camel-elasticsearch-rest-client (Maven): affected from 4.15.0; fixed in 4.18.3 - org.apache.camel:camel-elasticsearch-rest-client (Maven): affected from 4.19.0; fixed in 4.21.0 - org.apache.camel:camel-elasticsearch-rest-client (Maven): affected from 4.19.0; fixed in 4.21.0 - org.apache.camel:camel-elasticsearch-rest-client (Maven): affected from 4.3.0; fixed in 4.14.8 - org.apache.camel:camel-elasticsearch-rest-client (Maven): affected from 4.3.0; fixed in 4.14.8 Task: 1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies. 2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it. 3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead. 4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why. 5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing. Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46453/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46453/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-46453 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46453 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-46453 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46453/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.