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CamelApplication · Apache

CVE-2020-11973

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2020-05-14
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 8.5.0 or later.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Apache Camel Netty enables Java deserialization by default. Apache Camel 2.22.x, 2.23.x, 2.24.x, 2.25.0, 3.0.0 up to 3.1.0 are affected. 2.x users should upgrade to 2.25.1, 3.x users should upgrade to 3.2.0.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Apache Camel Netty component enables Java deserialization by default, allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by sending malicious serialized objects through the Netty transport. This unauthenticated deserialization vulnerability has a CVSS 9.8 critical rating due to the ease of exploitation and complete system compromise potential.

MitigationUpgrade Apache Camel to version 2.25.1 (for 2.x users) or 3.2.0 (for 3.x users). If immediate upgrade is not feasible, disable Java deserialization in the Netty component configuration or implement network-level filtering.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
CamelApplication
Affected:>= 2.22.0, <= 2.25.0>= 3.0.0, <= 3.1.0
Communications Diameter Signaling RouterApplication
Affected:>= 8.0.0, <= 8.5.0
Enterprise Manager Base PlatformApplication
Affected:= 13.3.0.0= 13.4.0.0
Flexcube Private BankingApplication
Affected:= 12.0.0= 12.1.0

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify Apache Camel installation and version
    Locate the Apache Camel jar files (typically in the application lib directory or Maven dependencies) and check the camel-core or specific Camel version. Run: java -jar yourapp.jar --version, check pom.xml, or inspect the camel-core jar manifest.
    Affected if The installed version is >= 2.22.0 and <= 2.25.0, OR >= 3.0.0 and <= 3.1.0
  2. Confirm Netty component is in use
    Search your application configuration for references to the Netty component, such as 'netty:http', 'netty:tcp', or 'netty:udp' in routes or endpoint URIs. Check route XML files, Java DSL code, or Spring configuration for netty component usage.
    Affected if Any Netty-based endpoint is configured in your Camel routes
  3. Check Netty deserialization configuration
    Inspect your Camel route or endpoint configuration for the Netty component. Look for settings like 'allowJavaSerialization=true' or 'serializationType=java' in the Netty endpoint URI parameters. Default behavior enables Java deserialization in affected versions.
    Affected if Java deserialization is not explicitly disabled in the Netty endpoint configuration (the default setting in affected versions enables it)
  4. Verify network exposure of Netty endpoints
    Check if Netty-based endpoints are bound to accessible network interfaces (0.0.0.0 or public IPs) rather than localhost. Review your host firewall rules and endpoint URI host bindings.
    Affected if Netty endpoints are exposed on network interfaces accessible from untrusted networks

You are affected if Apache Camel versions 2.22.0-2.25.0 or 3.0.0-3.1.0 are running with the Netty component and Java deserialization remains enabled (the default), especially if the endpoint is network-accessible.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 8.5.0
Interim mitigation

Upgrade Apache Camel to version 2.25.1 (for 2.x users) or 3.2.0 (for 3.x users). If immediate upgrade is not feasible, disable Java deserialization in the Netty component configuration or implement network-level filtering.

Recommended fix High confidence

2.25.1 for 2.x users; 3.2.0 for 3.x users

  1. 1. Identify all applications and dependencies using Apache Camel Netty component versions 2.22.0 through 2.25.0 or 3.0.0 through 3.1.0
  2. 2. For Camel 2.x users: Upgrade Apache Camel dependency to version 2.25.1 or later
  3. 3. For Camel 3.x users: Upgrade Apache Camel dependency to version 3.2.0 or later
  4. 4. Rebuild and redeploy all affected applications with the upgraded Camel libraries
  5. 5. Verify the upgrade does not introduce regressions in existing integration workflows
Caveat Minor version upgrades may include API changes; review Camel release notes for any breaking changes between your current version and the target upgrade version

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Camel Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
20.0 hours of engineering $3,440
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2020-11973 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data