Apache Camel Spring Redis: Unfiltered Java deserialization of Redis payloads
Summary
The Spring Redis component of Apache Camel uses the default JDK serializer without an ObjectInputFilter, so it deserializes Redis payloads without restriction. An attacker who can publish to a channel that Camel subscribes to can trigger deserialization of a crafted object and execute code on the Camel host (CVSS 8.8, CWE-502). The same default serializer also affects producer read commands (GET, HGET, HGETALL, HVALS) and the Redis idempotent repository, and a custom redisTemplate does not protect the consumer path.
Affected
- Apache Camel from 2.11.0 before 4.18.5
- Apache Camel from 4.19.0 before 4.22.1
- Only deployments that do not set the serializer option to a non-Java serializer are affected by default.
Fixed in
- Apache Camel 4.23.0
- Apache Camel 4.22.1 (4.22.x stream)
- Apache Camel 4.18.5 (4.18.x stream)
- Releases 4.14.x and earlier are end of life and receive no fix.
Workaround
- Set the JVM-wide system property jdk.serialFilter, for example -Djdk.serialFilter=!java.net.**;java.**;javax.**;org.apache.camel.**;!*
- Or set the endpoint option serializer to a non-Java serializer such as StringRedisSerializer. This must be set as the serializer option, not only on a custom redisTemplate.
- Require authentication on the Redis instance and restrict which clients may publish to subscribed channels.
- Do not expose Redis instances used by Camel to untrusted networks.
Exploitation
- CISA SSVC: exploitation status 'poc' (proof of concept available), not automatable, total technical impact.
- No confirmed active exploitation is known.
Our recommendation
- Upgrade Apache Camel to 4.23.0, or to 4.22.1 or 4.18.5 on the respective release streams.
- Move any deployment on 4.14.x or earlier to a supported release.
- If upgrading is not possible immediately, apply the jdk.serialFilter or serializer workaround.
- Check whether Camel Spring Redis endpoints consume channels that untrusted parties can publish to.
- Review Redis access controls and monitor for unexpected PUBLISH activity and Java deserialization errors.
Public exploits
Links to third-party sites, not checked by us – exploit code can contain malware. Only use it in isolated test environments.
- Proof of concept on GitHub (1 repositories)
oscerd/CVE-2026-78165
Research sources
- Apache Camel security advisory CVE-2026-78165 camel.apache.org
- CAMEL-24421 Jira ticket issues.apache.org
- Fix for main (PR 25587) github.com
- Backport for 4.22.x (PR 25588) github.com
- Backport for 4.18.x (PR 25589) github.com
- Upgrade-guide documentation (PR 25734) github.com
- Apache Camel security advisories 4.23.0 blog camel.apache.org
- OpenCVE entry CVE-2026-78165 app.opencve.io
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 31 Oct 2026, 15:52.
Original description (NVD)
Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in Apache Camel Spring Redis component. This issue affects Apache Camel: from 2.11.0 before 4.18.5, from 4.19.0 before 4.22.1. RedisConfiguration.getSerializer lazily built a bare JdkSerializationRedisSerializer whenever no serializer option was configured, and that instance was used for every read the component performs. Spring's implementation delegates through DeserializingConverter to DefaultDeserializer, which reads the bytes with a ConfigurableObjectInputStream and installs no java.io.ObjectInputFilter on the stream, so an arbitrary serialized class graph was materialised and its readObject method executed. RedisConsumer.setBody applied that serializer to the raw bytes of every message published to the subscribed channels, before the Exchange was constructed and therefore before any route logic could inspect the message, so an actor able to issue PUBLISH on a subscribed channel reached the deserialization sink directly. The same default serializer backed the RedisTemplate built by RedisConfiguration.createDefaultTemplate, so the producer read commands GET, HGET, HGETALL and HVALS deserialized whatever was stored in the Redis keyspace, and SpringRedisIdempotentRepository shared that template. Configuring a custom redisTemplate did not close the consumer path, because RedisConsumer.setBody reads getSerializer directly rather than the serializer attached to the template, so a deployment that had wired a String serializer into its own template remained exposed on the consumer side unless it also set the serializer option. The component never constructed a java.io.ObjectInputStream itself, which is why earlier passes over the Camel codebase for unfiltered Java deserialization did not reach it. The behaviour dates back to the introduction of the component, first released in 2.11.0, and was unchanged until this fix. 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, set the JVM-wide jdk.serialFilter system property, which the affected code path honours because it reads through a java.io.ObjectInputStream, for example -Djdk.serialFilter=!java.net.**;java.**;javax.**;org.apache.camel.**;!* ; or set the serializer endpoint option to a serializer that does not use Java serialization, such as StringRedisSerializer, noting that this must be set as the serializer option and not only on a custom redisTemplate. As defence in depth, require authentication on the Redis instance and restrict which clients may publish to the subscribed channels, and do not expose a Redis instance consumed by Camel to untrusted networks.
NVD references (7)
- https://camel.apache.org/security/CVE-2026-78165.html
- https://github.com/apache/camel/pull/25587
- https://github.com/apache/camel/pull/25588
- https://github.com/apache/camel/pull/25589
- https://github.com/apache/camel/pull/25734
- https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/CAMEL-24421
- https://github.com/oscerd/CVE-2026-78165
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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