# CVE-2026-49098: Apache Camel-Kafka: The kafka.OVERRIDE_TOPIC (and other kafka.*) Exchange header constants used non-Camel-prefixed names that bypass the upstream HTTP header filter

> Attackers can redirect Kafka messages to arbitrary topics by injecting unfiltered HTTP headers in multi-component routes, requiring an upgrade to Apache Camel.

- **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:** 7 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mm84-qvjh-hcj7

## What is CVE-2026-49098?

CVE-2026-49098 is a medium-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, 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.

Weakness: CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component), CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-49098?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.apache.camel:camel-kafka` | Maven | From 4.0.0 | 4.14.8 |
| `org.apache.camel:camel-kafka` | Maven | From 4.0.0 | 4.14.8 |
| `org.apache.camel:camel-kafka` | Maven | From 4.15.0 | 4.18.3 |
| `org.apache.camel:camel-kafka` | Maven | From 4.15.0 | 4.18.3 |
| `org.apache.camel:camel-kafka` | Maven | From 4.19.0 | 4.21.0 |
| `org.apache.camel:camel-kafka` | Maven | From 4.19.0 | 4.21.0 |

Products: Apache Camel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-49098?

Upgrade org.apache.camel:camel-kafka to a fixed version for your release line: 4.14.8, 4.18.3 or 4.21.0.

## Is CVE-2026-49098 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-49098 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- PoC reproducer for CVE-2026-49098 (Apache Camel camel-kafka): the non-Camel-prefixed kafka.OVERRIDE_TOPIC header escapes the upstream HTTP header filter and overrides the producer's configured topic, injecting an attacker-forged record onto a privileged Kafka topic (cross-topic injection). Fixed in 4.14.8/4.18.3/4.21.0. (github_poc): https://github.com/oscerd/CVE-2026-49098

## 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-2026-49098 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-49098 is a medium-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-2026-49098 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.apache.camel:camel-kafka (Maven): affected from 4.0.0; fixed in 4.14.8
- org.apache.camel:camel-kafka (Maven): affected from 4.0.0; fixed in 4.14.8
- org.apache.camel:camel-kafka (Maven): affected from 4.15.0; fixed in 4.18.3
- org.apache.camel:camel-kafka (Maven): affected from 4.15.0; fixed in 4.18.3
- org.apache.camel:camel-kafka (Maven): affected from 4.19.0; fixed in 4.21.0
- org.apache.camel:camel-kafka (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-2026-49098/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-49098/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-49098
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-49098
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-49098

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-49098/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.