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Apache Karaf: OS Command Injection in Child-Instance Launch (instance:* / InstancesMBean)

Type: advisorySource: Official CVE List1 source record

Apache Karaf's instance-management service (InstanceServiceImpl) builds the command line used to launch a child Karaf JVM by string concatenation, then executes it through /bin/sh (Unix) or cscript (Windows). The caller-supplied javaOpts value is spliced into that string unquoted. A javaOpts value containing shell metacharacters (;, |, `, $(...)) is interpreted by the shell instead of being passed to the JVM as an option, giving arbitrary OS command execution as the Karaf process user. Reachable via the shell commands instance:create, instance:start, instance:restart, instance:change-opts, and the equivalent InstanceMBean JMX operations (createInstance, startInstance, changeJavaOpts, cloneInstance). Mitigation * Set karaf.secured.command.compulsory.roles=admin in etc/system.properties to close the fail-open gap for all unconfigured command scopes. * Restrict which principals can reach instance:* commands and InstancesMBean via etc/users.properties role assignments. * Treat javaOpts passed to instance:create/instance:start/instance:change-opts/InstancesMBean as untrusted input only from fully-trusted operators.

Announced Source revision 1
Original source ↗

CVE-2026-91006

Primary source · Revision 1

Imported from structured advisory data. Source references identify upstream records or fields; verify affected versions and your deployed configuration.

Security context

Source reference: cve:CVE-2026-91006

Apache Karaf

Source reference: /containers/cna/affected/0/product

Affected versions
Not stated in this record
Fixed versions
Not stated in this record
Prerequisites
Not stated in this record

Structured affected-version data

Original package identities and version rules from this source.

[
  {
    "vendor": "Apache Software Foundation",
    "product": "Apache Karaf",
    "versions": [
      {
        "status": "affected",
        "version": "0",
        "lessThan": "4.4.12",
        "versionType": "semver"
      }
    ],
    "packageName": "org.apache.karaf:org.apache.karaf.instance.core",
    "defaultStatus": "unaffected"
  }
]
Related CVEs
CVE-2026-91006

Source reference: /cveMetadata/cveId

Publisher severity

No explicit severity was provided.

Event
#4042 · Revision 1
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Publisher date
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