# CVE-2026-46457: Apache Camel-NATS: Inbound NATS message headers are mapped into the Exchange without a configured HeaderFilterStrategy, allowing a client that can publish to the subject to inject Camel control headers > Attackers publishing to NATS subjects can inject Camel control headers to manipulate downstream route behavior, potentially causing code execution or data modification. - **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/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-7v55-q9x3-83cj ## What is CVE-2026-46457? CVE-2026-46457 is a high-severity 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 vulnerability in Apache Camel NATS component. The camel-nats component maps inbound NATS message headers into the Camel Exchange but defaulted its headerFilterStrategy to a bare new DefaultHeaderFilterStrategy() with no inbound rules configured (NatsConfiguration). With no inFilter, inFilterPattern or inFilterStartsWith set, DefaultHeaderFilterStrategy.applyFilterToExternalHeaders returns not filtered for every header name, so NatsConsumer copies every NATS message header - including Camel-internal control headers such as CamelHttpUri, CamelFileName or CamelSqlQuery - unmodified onto the Camel message. A client able to publish to the consumed NATS subject can therefore inject arbitrary Camel control headers that influence the behaviour of downstream producers in the route (for example redirecting an HTTP producer, changing a file name, or overriding a query); the injected headers also persist across internal direct, seda and vm hops. The concrete downstream impact depends on which producers the route uses. NATS message headers require NATS 2.2 or later, and the issue is reachable without credentials when the NATS server is configured without authentication (the NATS server default). 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. The fix makes camel-nats default to a dedicated NatsHeaderFilterStrategy that filters the Camel header namespace case-insensitively on inbound mapping, so client-supplied Camel* / camel* headers are no longer copied into the Exchange. For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately, strip the Camel control headers from inbound NATS messages before they reach any downstream producer (for example removeHeaders('Camel*') and removeHeaders('camel*') at the start of the route), and enable authentication on the NATS server so that only trusted clients can publish to the consumed subject. Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-46457? 6 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.camel:camel-nats. It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `org.apache.camel:camel-nats` | Maven | From 4.0.0 | 4.14.8 | | `org.apache.camel:camel-nats` | Maven | From 4.0.0 | 4.14.8 | | `org.apache.camel:camel-nats` | Maven | From 4.15.0 | 4.18.3 | | `org.apache.camel:camel-nats` | Maven | From 4.15.0 | 4.18.3 | | `org.apache.camel:camel-nats` | Maven | From 4.19.0 | 4.21.0 | | `org.apache.camel:camel-nats` | Maven | From 4.19.0 | 4.21.0 | Products: Apache Camel. ## How do I fix CVE-2026-46457? Upgrade org.apache.camel:camel-nats to a fixed version for your release line: 4.14.8, 4.18.3 or 4.21.0. ## Is CVE-2026-46457 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-46457 in the wild and no public exploit code. Public exploit code: - Reproducer for CVE-2026-46457 — Apache Camel camel-nats inbound header injection (Camel control-header injection via a NATS publisher; CamelHttpUri -> SSRF) (github_poc): https://github.com/oscerd/CVE-2026-46457 ## 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-2026-46457 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2026-46457 is a high-severity 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-2026-46457 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - org.apache.camel:camel-nats (Maven): affected from 4.0.0; fixed in 4.14.8 - org.apache.camel:camel-nats (Maven): affected from 4.0.0; fixed in 4.14.8 - org.apache.camel:camel-nats (Maven): affected from 4.15.0; fixed in 4.18.3 - org.apache.camel:camel-nats (Maven): affected from 4.15.0; fixed in 4.18.3 - org.apache.camel:camel-nats (Maven): affected from 4.19.0; fixed in 4.21.0 - org.apache.camel:camel-nats (Maven): affected from 4.19.0; fixed in 4.21.0 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-2026-46457/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46457/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-46457 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46457 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-46457 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46457/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.