CVE-2026-53913: Apache Camel Keycloak authentication bypass in KeycloakSecurityPolicy

Executive brief

Apache Camel is an integration framework used to connect different software applications. A security flaw in its Keycloak component allows attackers to bypass identity checks by providing any random text instead of a valid security token. This could allow unauthorized individuals to access sensitive internal data or even take control of the server if the system is configured to execute commands based on these requests.

Technical details

The KeycloakSecurityPolicy in camel-keycloak fails to perform cryptographic verification of bearer tokens when 'requiredRoles' and 'requiredPermissions' are empty (the default 'Basic Setup'). While the policy checks for the presence of a token, it does not reach the verification routine (signature, issuer, or expiry checks) unless specific roles or permissions are defined. An attacker can provide an arbitrary string or a forged, unsigned JWT in the Authorization header to bypass authentication. If the protected route forwards to a code-execution-capable producer, this can lead to remote code execution. The issue is fixed in versions 4.18.3 and 4.21.0.

Affected products

• Apache camel-keycloak 4.15.0 to 4.18.2, 4.19.0 to 4.20.0

Timeline

• 2026-07-06: disclosed
• 2026-07-06: advisory

References

• https://api.github.com/users/oscerd
• https://github.com/oscerd
• https://api.github.com/users/oscerd/gists%7B/gist_id%7D
• https://api.github.com/users/oscerd/repos
• https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/5106647?v=4
• https://api.github.com/users/oscerd/events%7B/privacy%7D