CVE-2026-42809

Apache Polaris: staged table creation could vend storage credentials for unvalidated locations

Published May 4, 2026 CVSS 4.0 · 9.4 Critical EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
Apache Polaris can issue broad temporary ("vended") storage credentials during
staged
table creation before the effective table location has been validated or
durably reserved.
Those temporary credentials are meant to limit the scope
of
accessible table data and metadata, but this scope limitation becomes
attacker-
directed because the attacker can choose a reachable target location.



In the confirmed variant, if the caller supplies a custom `location` during
stage create and requests credential vending, Apache Polaris uses that location to
construct delegated storage credentials immediately. The stage-create path
itself neither runs the normal location validation nor the overlap checks
before those credentials are issued.



Closely related to that, the staged-create flow also accepts
`write.data.path` / `write.metadata.path` in the request properties and
feeds
those location overrides into the same effective table location set used for
credential vending. Those fields are secondary to the main custom-`location`
exploit, but they are still attacker-influenced location inputs that should
be
validated before any credentials are issued.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

Sign in to view the affected projects.

Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-8ggj-j522-h5qf Apache Polaris has an Improper Input Validation Issue
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:apache:polaris:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Apache
Apache polaris
Vendors & Products Apache
Apache polaris
Type Values Removed Values Added
Title Apache Polaris: An authenticated low-privileged user can abuse Polaris staged table creation to mint broad temporary storage credentials for an attacker-chosen location before Polaris validates that location Apache Polaris: staged table creation could vend storage credentials for unvalidated locations
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Apache Polaris can issue broad temporary ("vended") storage credentials during staged table creation before the effective table location has been validated or durably reserved. Those temporary credentials are meant to limit the scope of accessible table data and metadata, but this scope limitation becomes attacker- directed because the attacker can choose a reachable target location. In the confirmed variant, if the caller supplies a custom `location` during stage create and requests credential vending, Apache Polaris uses that location to construct delegated storage credentials immediately. The stage-create path itself neither runs the normal location validation nor the overlap checks before those credentials are issued. Closely related to that, the staged-create flow also accepts `write.data.path` / `write.metadata.path` in the request properties and feeds those location overrides into the same effective table location set used for credential vending. Those fields are secondary to the main custom-`location` exploit, but they are still attacker-influenced location inputs that should be validated before any credentials are issued.
Title Apache Polaris: An authenticated low-privileged user can abuse Polaris staged table creation to mint broad temporary storage credentials for an attacker-chosen location before Polaris validates that location
Weaknesses CWE-20
CWE-862
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 9.9, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 9.4, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
apache
Published
Updated
May 4, 2026, 4:38 PM
Reserved
Apr 30, 2026, 1:55 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
May 4, 2026, 5:16 PM
Modified
Oct 26, 2026, 7:10 PM