Summary
Apache Camel: camel-mongodb-gridfs producer allows GridFS operation override and NoSQL operator injection via unfiltered gridfs.* HTTP headers
Improper Input Validation, Improper Access Control vulnerability in Apache Camel in Camel Mongodb Gridfs component.
The camel-mongodb-gridfs producer selects the GridFS operation to perform from the gridfs.operation Exchange header when the endpoint's operation parameter is not set - which is the default. The control-header constants (GridFsConstants.GRIDFS_OPERATION, GRIDFS_OBJECT_ID, GRIDFS_METADATA, GRIDFS_CHUNKSIZE, GRIDFS_FILE_ID_PRODUCED) were the plain strings gridfs.operation, gridfs.objectid, gridfs.metadata, gridfs.chunksize and gridfs.fileid. Because these names do not start with the Camel / camel prefix, HttpHeaderFilterStrategy - which blocks only the Camel header namespace on the HTTP boundary - let them pass from an inbound HTTP request straight into the Exchange.
In a route that bridges an HTTP consumer (for example platform-http) into a mongodb-gridfs: producer with no explicit operation, any HTTP client could therefore set the gridfs.operation header to override the route's intended operation - switching, for example, a file upload to remove (deleting a file identified by the attacker-supplied gridfs.objectid), listAll (enumerating every file in the bucket) or findOne (reading a file) - and supply a gridfs.metadata value that is parsed as a MongoDB document, enabling NoSQL operator injection. No credentials are required when the bridging consumer is unauthenticated.
This issue affects Apache Camel: from 4.0.0 before 4.14.8, from 4.15.0 before 4.18.3, from 4.19.0 before 4.21.0.
Users are recommended to upgrade to version 4.21.0, which fixes the issue. If users are on the 4.14.x LTS releases stream, then they are suggested to upgrade to 4.14.8. If users are on the 4.18.x releases stream, then they are suggested to upgrade to 4.18.3. After upgrading, routes that drive GridFS operations or metadata via the raw header names must use CamelGridFsOperation / CamelGridFsObjectId / CamelGridFsMetadata / CamelGridFsChunkSize / CamelGridFsFileId instead of the gridfs.* names. For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately, set an explicit operation on the mongodb-gridfs: endpoint so the operation is not taken from a header, and strip the gridfs.* headers from any untrusted ingress before the producer.
Impact
The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths. Typical impact: varies by context: data corruption, logic bypass, or denial of service.
CVE-2026-48204 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (4.14.8, 4.18.3, 4.21.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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org.apache.camel:camel-mongodb-gridfs to 4.14.8 or later; org.apache.camel:camel-mongodb-gridfs to 4.18.3 or later; org.apache.camel:camel-mongodb-gridfs to 4.21.0 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-48204? CVE-2026-48204 is a critical-severity improper input validation vulnerability in org.apache.camel:camel-mongodb-gridfs (maven), affecting versions >= 4.0.0, < 4.14.8. It is fixed in 4.14.8, 4.18.3, 4.21.0. The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths.
- How severe is CVE-2026-48204? CVE-2026-48204 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of org.apache.camel:camel-mongodb-gridfs are affected by CVE-2026-48204? org.apache.camel:camel-mongodb-gridfs (maven) versions >= 4.0.0, < 4.14.8 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-48204? Yes. CVE-2026-48204 is fixed in 4.14.8, 4.18.3, 4.21.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-48204 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-48204 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-48204 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-48204?
- Upgrade
org.apache.camel:camel-mongodb-gridfsto 4.14.8 or later - Upgrade
org.apache.camel:camel-mongodb-gridfsto 4.18.3 or later - Upgrade
org.apache.camel:camel-mongodb-gridfsto 4.21.0 or later
- Upgrade