Read the docs
TI-2026-31028 Aliases CVE-2026-42810GHSA-vxgg-mqx2-3w59

Apache Polaris: could broaden vended S3 credentials through wildcard-bearing namespace or table names

Priority MEDIUM 43CWE-116Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Attack requirements
None
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub.

Summary

Apache Polaris accepts literal `*` characters in namespace and table names. When it later builds temporary S3 access policies for delegated table access, those same characters appear to be reused unescaped in S3 IAM resource patterns and `s3:prefix` conditions. In S3 IAM policy matching, `*` is treated as a wildcard rather than as ordinary text. That means temporary credentials issued for one crafted table can match the storage path of a different table. In private testing against Polaris 1.4.0 using Polaris' AWS S3 temporary- credential path on both MinIO and real AWS S3, credentials returned for crafted tables such as `f*.t1`, `f*.*`, `*.*`, and `foo.*` could reach other tables' S3 locations. The confirmed behavior includes: - reading another table's metadata control file ([Iceberg metadata JSON]); - listing another table's exact S3 table prefix ([table prefix]); - and, when write delegation was returned for the crafted table, creating and deleting an object under another table's exact S3 table prefix. A control case using ordinary different names did not allow the same cross-table access. A least-privilege AWS S3 variant was also confirmed in which the attacker principal had no Polaris permissions on the victim table and only the minimal permissions required to create and use a crafted wildcard table (namespace-scoped `TABLE_CREATE` and `TABLE_WRITE_DATA` on `*`). In that setup, direct Polaris access to `foo.t1` remained forbidden, but the attacker could still create and load `*.*`, receive delegated S3 credentials, and use those credentials to list, read, create, and delete objects under `foo.t1`. In Iceberg, the metadata JSON file is a control file: it tells readers which data files belong to the table, which snapshots exist, and which table version to read. So unauthorized access to it is already a meaningful confidentiality problem. The confirmed write-capable variant means the issue is not limited to disclosure.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00425 37th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Apache Polaris (Apache Software Foundation): 1.4.1org.apache.polaris:polaris-core (Maven): 1.4.1

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
ApacheApache Polarisbefore 1.4.11.4.1Patch availableCNA
—org.apache.polaris:polaris-core (Maven)before 1.4.11.4.1Patch availableGHSA-vxgg-mqx2-3w59
  • Apache Polaris VendorApache Affected before 1.4.1 Fixed in 1.4.1 Patch available CNA
  • org.apache.polaris:polaris-core (Maven) Vendor— Affected before 1.4.1 Fixed in 1.4.1 Patch available GHSA-vxgg-mqx2-3w59

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:apache:polaris:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*before 1.4.1VulnerableApache
  • cpe:2.3:a:apache:polaris:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 1.4.1 Vulnerable ·Apache

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Apache Polaris (Apache Software Foundation) Fixed in 1.4.1
  • Fix · GHSA-vxgg-mqx2-3w59 org.apache.polaris:polaris-core (Maven) Fixed in 1.4.1 Advisory →

Fixed in the same release

Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.

  • Release ·

    Apache Polaris 1.4.1

    4 records Highest priority Priority MEDIUM 4 MEDIUM

    Other records, highest priority first

    • TI-2026-31029 Improper input validation in Apache PolarisPriority MEDIUM 43
    • TI-2026-31030 Apache Polaris: No protection on `write.metadata.path`Priority MEDIUM 42
    • TI-2026-31027 Apache Polaris: staged table creation could vend storage credentials for unvalidated locationsPriority MEDIUM 42

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-42810
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-vxgg-mqx2-3w59
  3. 2026-10-25 EPSS moved to the below the 50th percentile

References

  • TI-2026-31029 Improper input validation in Apache Polaris CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.4
  • TI-2026-31030 Apache Polaris: No protection on `write.metadata.path` CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.4
  • TI-2026-31027 Apache Polaris: staged table creation could vend storage credentials for unvalidated locations CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.4
  • TI-2026-46201 Apache Polaris: register endpoint reads attacker-controlled storage location before allowed-locations validation CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 5.3

Sources