High [CVE-2026-40048 +1] Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in Apache Camel PQC component
This high-severity Apache Software Foundation advisory covers CVE-2026-40048 and CVE-2026-46590 affecting Apache Camel PQC.
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Summary
Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in Apache Camel PQC component. The camel-pqc component persists post-quantum key metadata (KeyMetadata) through pluggable KeyLifecycleManager implementations.
HashicorpVaultKeyLifecycleManager and AwsSecretsManagerKeyLifecycleManager read that metadata back from the configured secret backend by deserializing a Base64-wrapped value with a raw java.io.ObjectInputStream.readObject() and no ObjectInputFilter or class allow-list; the cast to KeyMetadata happens only after readObject() returns, so any readObject() side effects in a crafted object run before the type check.
The same unfiltered legacy-migration read also remained in FileBasedKeyLifecycleManager (for the stored KeyPair and KeyMetadata).
A principal who can write to the operator-controlled backend that holds these values - the HashiCorp Vault KV path, or the AWS Secrets Manager secret (requiring a Vault token or secretsmanager:PutSecretValue) - could store a crafted serialized object that is deserialized during normal key-lifecycle operations, potentially leading to code execution in the context of the application that manages the keys.
- 4.18.0 through 4.18.3
- 4.19.0 through 4.21.0.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 2 months ago·verify at source
- 4.21.0
- 4.18.3
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 2 months ago·verify at source
Mitigation checklist
- Users are recommended to upgrade to version 4.21.0, which fixes the issue.
- If users are on the 4.18.x LTS releases stream, then they are suggested to upgrade to 4.18.3.
- For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately, restrict write access to the key backend so that only the application's own identity can write the camel-pqc secrets (least-privilege HashiCorp Vault policies and secretsmanager:PutSecretValue IAM), and keep the PQC key material in a backend separate from any data that less-trusted principals can write.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 2 months ago·verify at source
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