# CVE-2026-40453: Apache Camel RCE via case-variant header injection in non-HTTP components

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-40453-apache-camel-rce-via-case-variant-header-injection-in-non-http  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-04-27. Updated: 2026-06-27  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-40453 · Severity: critical · CVSS 9.9 · Published 2026-04-27

Apache Camel, a popular integration framework used to connect different software systems, is vulnerable to a critical security flaw. An attacker with access to messaging services (like JMS) can bypass security filters by using unusual capitalization in message headers. This could allow them to execute unauthorized commands or write malicious files on the server, potentially leading to a full system takeover.

Technologies: [Apache Camel](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/camel), [org.apache.camel:camel-jms (Maven)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/org-apache-camel-camel-jms), [org.apache.camel:camel-sjms (Maven)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/org-apache-camel-camel-sjms), [Red Hat build of Apache Camel for Quarkus](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/build-of-apache-camel-for-quarkus), [Red Hat build of Apache Camel for Spring Boot](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/red-hat-build-of-apache-camel-for-spring-boot). Vendors: [Apache](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/apache), [Maven](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/maven), [Red Hat](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/red-hat).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-40453 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-40453 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-40453?** Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 9.9, published 27 April 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Apache Camel 3.0.0 to 4.14.5, 4.15.0 to 4.18.1, 4.19.0 to 4.19.9; org.apache.camel:camel-coap (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=3.0.0,fixed=4.14.6; org.apache.camel:camel-google-pubsub (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=3.0.0,fixed=4.14.6; org.apache.camel:camel-jms (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=3.0.0,fixed=4.14.6; and 3 more.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-40453?** Yes. org.apache.camel:camel-coap (Maven): upgrade to 4.14.6 or later; org.apache.camel:camel-google-pubsub (Maven): upgrade to 4.14.6 or later; org.apache.camel:camel-jms (Maven): upgrade to 4.14.6 or later; org.apache.camel:camel-sjms (Maven): upgrade to 4.14.6 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-40453 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-40453?** Check whether you run Apache Camel, org.apache.camel:camel-coap (Maven), org.apache.camel:camel-google-pubsub (Maven) or one of the others listed at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- org.apache.camel:camel-coap (Maven): upgrade to 4.14.6 or later

  ```sh
  # set org.apache.camel:camel-coap to 4.14.6 in your pom.xml or build.gradle
  ```

- org.apache.camel:camel-google-pubsub (Maven): upgrade to 4.14.6 or later

  ```sh
  # set org.apache.camel:camel-google-pubsub to 4.14.6 in your pom.xml or build.gradle
  ```

- org.apache.camel:camel-jms (Maven): upgrade to 4.14.6 or later

  ```sh
  # set org.apache.camel:camel-jms to 4.14.6 in your pom.xml or build.gradle
  ```

- org.apache.camel:camel-sjms (Maven): upgrade to 4.14.6 or later

  ```sh
  # set org.apache.camel:camel-sjms to 4.14.6 in your pom.xml or build.gradle
  ```


## Technical details

This vulnerability is an incomplete fix for CVE-2025-27636. While HTTP strategies were previously patched to handle case-sensitivity, five non-HTTP HeaderFilterStrategy implementations (JmsHeaderFilterStrategy, ClassicJmsHeaderFilterStrategy, SjmsHeaderFilterStrategy, CoAPHeaderFilterStrategy, and GooglePubsubHeaderFilterStrategy) remained case-sensitive. Because Camel Exchange stores headers in a case-insensitive map but these strategies used case-sensitive prefix filtering (e.g., String.startsWith('Camel')), an attacker with producer access to a broker can inject headers like 'CAmelExecCommandExecutable'. Downstream components such as camel-exec and camel-file resolve these using canonical casing, leading to Remote Code Execution (RCE) or arbitrary file writes. The issue is resolved by applying setLowerCase(true) to the affected strategies.

## Affected products

- Apache Camel 3.0.0 before 4.14.6, 4.15.0 before 4.18.2, 4.19.0 before 4.20.0
- Red Hat Red Hat Build of Apache Camel 4.14 for Quarkus 3.27 3.27
- Red Hat Red Hat build of Apache Camel 4.18.1 for Spring Boot 3.5.14 4.18
- Red Hat Red Hat build of Apache Camel 4 for Quarkus 3 3

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-40453
- GHSA-jg2m-9x48-3gvj

## Timeline

- 2026-04-27: advisory: Initial advisory published by Apache and NVD
- 2026-05-14: patched: Red Hat released security updates for affected Camel builds

## References

- [https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2](https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2)
- [https://camel.apache.org/security/CVE-2026-40453.html](https://camel.apache.org/security/CVE-2026-40453.html)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:17668](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:17668)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:19835](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:19835)
- [https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-40453](https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-40453)
- [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2463173](https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2463173)
- [https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-40453.json](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-40453.json)

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