CVE-2026-85250: Apache Camel: Camel-XPath XML External Entity Processing and File Disclosure via the documentType=InputSource Option
Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference vulnerability in Apache Camel XPath component.
This issue affects Apache Camel: from 4.0.0 before 4.18.5, from 4.19.0 before 4.22.1.
With documentType set to InputSource, XPathBuilder handed the payload straight to javax.xml.xpath, which builds a DocumentBuilder of its own using the JDK defaults. The hardening applied to Camel's default document type was therefore bypassed: a DOCTYPE declaration that is refused on the default type was accepted here, and the external entity it declared was resolved and expanded into the evaluated document. An external sender whose XML reaches such an expression could read files readable by the Camel process and cause the process to issue requests to hosts it names. The two document types disagreeing on parser configuration is what made this reachable, since a deployment choosing InputSource for streaming reasons had no indication it was also choosing a weaker parser.
Upgrade to Apache Camel 4.23.0, which fixes the issue. Users on the 4.18.x LTS releases stream should upgrade to 4.18.5. Users on the 4.22.x LTS releases stream should upgrade to 4.22.1. The InputSource document type now goes through the same hardened parser as the default type, so a DOCTYPE is refused. Note that it also shares that type's documented escape hatch: the same DocumentBuilderFactory system properties that relax the default type relax this one, so a deployment that has set them remains unprotected by design. For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately, do not use documentType=InputSource on expressions evaluated over untrusted XML; the default document type already refuses a DOCTYPE.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
Apache Camelto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.23.0 - Upgrade
Upgrade
Apache Camelto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.18.5 - Upgrade
Upgrade
Apache Camelto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.22.1 - Configuration
For expressions evaluated over untrusted XML, do not use documentType=InputSource; use the default document type, which refuses a DOCTYPE.
Apache Camel XPath component documentType = default document type
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Which deployments are exposed to this issue?
Deployments using the Apache Camel XPath component with documentType set to InputSource are exposed if they run Camel 4.0.0 through before 4.18.5, or 4.19.0 through before 4.22.1. The default document type has separate hardening and is not the affected configuration described here.
What does an attacker need to exploit it?
An external sender must be able to deliver attacker-controlled XML to an XPath expression configured with the InputSource document type. No authentication or user interaction is indicated by the supplied severity vector.
What could successful exploitation allow?
An attacker could use an XML DOCTYPE and external entity to read files that the Camel process can read. They could also cause the process to make requests to hosts named in the malicious XML.
What should teams do to remediate the issue?
Upgrade to Apache Camel 4.23.0. For supported LTS streams, upgrade 4.18.x deployments to 4.18.5 and 4.22.x deployments to 4.22.1.
How can I identify potentially affected configurations?
Review Camel XPath usage for expressions explicitly configured with documentType=InputSource, especially where XML can originate from external senders. Those configurations are the relevant exposure point in affected versions.