CVE-2026-78162
Received Received - Intake

Deserialization of Untrusted Data in Apache Camel

Publication date: 2026-10-19

Last updated on: 2026-10-19

Assigner: Apache Software Foundation

Description
Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in Apache Camel. This issue affects Apache Camel: from 4.0.0 before 4.18.5, from 4.19.0 before 4.22.1. The camel-hazelcast component applies a default Hazelcast JavaSerializationFilterConfig to the instances it creates from its own configuration, a protection introduced by CVE-2026-43865. That change did not reach two of the configuration paths Camel builds itself, so those paths continued to create Hazelcast instances whose Java deserialization is unrestricted. ReplicatedHazelcastAggregationRepository extends HazelcastAggregationRepository but overrides doStart() without calling super.doStart(), keeping its own copy of the bootstrap block, and therefore never received the filter: a route using it without supplying a hazelcastInstance starts a Hazelcast member that deserializes values read from the backing ReplicatedMap with no class restriction. HazelcastDefaultComponent#getOrCreateHzClientInstance() builds its own ClientConfig when hazelcastMode=client is selected and neither a referenced ClientConfig nor hazelcastConfigUri is supplied, and likewise applied no filter, so client-mode endpoints behaved differently from node-mode endpoints for an otherwise identical configuration. In both cases an attacker able to publish into the Hazelcast cluster that the affected instance is attached to can cause a serialized Java object of their choosing to be deserialized inside Hazelcast's own serialization layer, before Camel processes the exchange, resulting in remote code execution. Hazelcast clusters have neither authentication nor TLS enabled by default. Selecting client mode is a topology choice rather than a security option, so neither path required the deployment to opt in to unsafe behaviour. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 4.23.0, which fixes the issue. If users are on the 4.22.x releases stream, then they are suggested to upgrade to 4.22.1. If users are on the 4.18.x releases stream, then they are suggested to upgrade to 4.18.5. The 4.14.x releases stream and earlier reached end of life before this issue was resolved and will not receive a fix, so deployments on those lines must move to a supported release. For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately, supply an explicit Hazelcast configuration carrying a JavaSerializationFilterConfig, or inject a pre-built HazelcastInstance, since a user-supplied configuration is never overwritten by Camel. Alternatively set the JVM-wide filter -Djdk.serialFilter=!java.net.;java.;javax.;org.apache.camel.;!* and enable Hazelcast cluster authentication and TLS to restrict who can reach the cluster.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-10-19
Last Modified
2026-10-19
Generated
2026-10-19
AI Q&A
2026-10-19
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-78162
EUVD
EUVD-2026-104224

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
Apache Software Foundation Apache Camel 4.0.0
Apache Software Foundation Apache Camel 4.19.0

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-502 The product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently ensuring that the resulting data will be valid.

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Executive Summary

CVE-2026-78162 is a deserialization of untrusted data vulnerability in Apache Camel's camel-hazelcast component. It allows remote code execution when attackers send malicious serialized Java objects to Hazelcast clusters. The issue occurs because two configuration paths in Camel do not apply a default Java deserialization filter to Hazelcast instances they create, leaving them vulnerable to unsafe deserialization.

Detection Guidance

Detecting this vulnerability requires checking Apache Camel versions and Hazelcast configurations. Use commands like 'camel --version' to verify Camel version. Inspect Hazelcast configurations for missing JavaSerializationFilterConfig. Check logs for deserialization errors or unexpected Hazelcast member starts.

Impact Analysis

An attacker who can publish into the Hazelcast cluster can cause a serialized Java object of their choosing to be deserialized inside Hazelcast's serialization layer. This results in remote code execution before Camel processes the exchange. The vulnerability affects routes using ReplicatedHazelcastAggregationRepository without a supplied Hazelcast instance or client-mode endpoints using HazelcastDefaultComponent without explicit configuration.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized remote code execution, potentially compromising data confidentiality and integrity. For GDPR, it may result in unauthorized access to personal data. For HIPAA, it could allow unauthorized access to protected health information. Compliance may be impacted if the vulnerability leads to data breaches or unauthorized system access.

Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade Apache Camel to version 4.23.0, 4.22.1, or 4.18.5. If immediate upgrade is not possible, apply explicit Hazelcast configurations with JavaSerializationFilterConfig or inject a pre-built HazelcastInstance. Set JVM-wide filter '-Djdk.serialFilter=!java.net.;java.;javax.;org.apache.camel.;!*' and enable Hazelcast cluster authentication and TLS.

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