CVE-2026-56140 Overview
CVE-2026-56140 is an Improper Input Validation issue [CWE-20] in the Apache Camel camel-aws2-sns component. The Sns2HeaderFilterStrategy class originally configured only an outbound filter pattern and lacked an inbound filter rule for Camel control headers. The sibling camel-aws2-sqs component had the same gap tracked as CVE-2026-46456, where inbound SQS attributes could be mapped into a Camel Exchange. In camel-aws2-sns, however, the endpoint is producer-only and Sns2Endpoint.createConsumer throws UnsupportedOperationException, so no external message attributes reach the Exchange. The fix under CAMEL-23506 aligns the SNS strategy with its siblings as a defense-in-depth hardening change.
Critical Impact
No known exploit path exists in camel-aws2-sns because the component cannot consume messages; the change is defense-in-depth alignment rather than a remediation of an actively exploitable flaw.
Affected Products
- Apache Camel 4.0.0 through versions before 4.14.8
- Apache Camel 4.15.0 through versions before 4.18.3
- Apache Camel 4.19.0 through versions before 4.21.0
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-07-06 - CVE-2026-56140 published to NVD
- 2026-07-09 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-56140
Vulnerability Analysis
Apache Camel uses HeaderFilterStrategy implementations to control which headers move between the Camel Exchange and external systems. The Sns2HeaderFilterStrategy class configured setOutFilterPattern to block Camel*, breadcrumbId, and org.apache.camel.* headers on outbound writes. It did not configure a matching inbound filter rule using setInFilterStartsWith for the Camel namespace. In the related camel-aws2-sqs component, this omission was reachable because Sqs2Consumer invokes HeaderFilterStrategy.applyFilterToExternalHeaders to map inbound SQS message attributes into the Exchange. A sender could inject Camel control headers through crafted attributes, which is tracked separately as CVE-2026-46456.
Root Cause
The root cause is a missing inbound filter rule on Sns2HeaderFilterStrategy. The class inherited the same configuration pattern as Sqs2HeaderFilterStrategy before that class was corrected. CAMEL-23506 adds setInFilterStartsWith for the Camel namespace so the strategy matches its sibling implementations.
Attack Vector
No reachable attack vector exists in camel-aws2-sns. The component is producer-only. Sns2Endpoint.createConsumer throws UnsupportedOperationException with the message You cannot receive messages from this endpoint. Because SNS message attributes are never mapped inbound into a Camel Exchange through this component, the missing filter rule cannot be triggered by an external sender. See the Apache Camel CVE-2026-56140 Advisory for the vendor analysis.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-56140
Indicators of Compromise
- No indicators of compromise are associated with this issue because no exploit path exists in camel-aws2-sns.
- Operators investigating the sibling SQS issue should reference CVE-2026-46456 for relevant indicators.
Detection Strategies
- Inventory Apache Camel deployments and identify the camel-aws2-sns component versions in use across build manifests and runtime dependencies.
- Flag deployments running Camel 4.0.0–4.14.7, 4.15.0–4.18.2, or 4.19.0–4.20.x for upgrade planning.
- Cross-reference the same inventory against CVE-2026-46456 for the camel-aws2-sqs component, which is the exploitable variant.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Track dependency updates through software composition analysis tooling for org.apache.camel:camel-aws2-sns artifacts.
- Review CloudTrail logs for SNS topic activity to confirm least-privilege IAM policies remain enforced.
- Monitor Camel route logs for unexpected header values, particularly Camel* and org.apache.camel.* prefixed keys.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-56140
Immediate Actions Required
- No urgent action is required because the vulnerability has no known exploit path in the producer-only camel-aws2-sns component.
- Prioritize remediation of the related camel-aws2-sqs issue tracked as CVE-2026-46456 if that component is deployed.
- Plan a routine upgrade to a fixed Camel release to obtain the aligned defense-in-depth configuration.
Patch Information
Apache Camel maintainers addressed the header filter alignment under CAMEL-23506. Fixed versions are 4.14.8 on the 4.14.x LTS stream, 4.18.3 on the 4.18.x stream, and 4.21.0 on the current stream. Full details are available in the Apache Camel CVE-2026-56140 Advisory.
Workarounds
- No workaround is required because the missing inbound filter rule is not reachable through the producer-only SNS endpoint.
- Apply least-privilege IAM permissions on SNS topics as a general best practice regardless of Camel version.
- Operators who prefer the aligned strategy behavior without upgrading can define a custom HeaderFilterStrategy that sets setInFilterStartsWith for the Camel namespace and reference it on the SNS endpoint.
# Upgrade Apache Camel to a fixed release using Maven
mvn versions:set-property -Dproperty=camel.version -DnewVersion=4.21.0
mvn versions:set-property -Dproperty=camel.version -DnewVersion=4.18.3
mvn versions:set-property -Dproperty=camel.version -DnewVersion=4.14.8
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
