# CVE-2026-40048

> Vulnerability · severity: **HIGH** (CVSS 7.8).

## Description

The Camel-PQC FileBasedKeyLifecycleManager class deserializes the contents of `<keyId>.key` files in the configured key directory using java.io.ObjectInputStream without applying any ObjectInputFilter or class-loading restrictions. The cast to `java.security.KeyPair` is evaluated only after `readObject()` has already returned, so any `readObject()` side effects in the deserialized object run before the type check. An attacker who can write to the key directory used by a Camel application — for example through a path traversal into the directory, misconfigured filesystem permissions on the volume where keys are stored, a compromised key provisioning pipeline, or a symlink attack — can place a crafted serialized Java object that, when deserialized during normal key lifecycle operations, results in arbitrary code execution in the context of the application.

This issue affects Apache Camel: from 4.19.0 before 4.20.0, from 4.18.0 before 4.18.2.

Users are recommended to upgrade to version 4.20.0, which fixes the issue by replacing java.io.ObjectInputStream-based key and metadata storage with standard PKCS#8 (private key) / X.509 SubjectPublicKeyInfo (public key) Base64 JSON encoding. For users on the 4.18.x LTS releases stream, upgrade to 4.18.2.

## Key facts

- **CVE ID:** CVE-2026-40048
- **Published:** 2026-04-27
- **CVSS severity:** HIGH
- **CVSS base score:** 7.8
- **CWE codes:** CWE-502

## Affected products

- `apache:camel`

## Primary sources

- NIST NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-40048

## Citation

> AI Analytics. CVE-2026-40048. Retrieved 2026-07-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/cve/CVE-2026-40048. Derived from NIST NVD. Licensed CC0.

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