Apache Polaris has an Improper Input Validation Issue
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.
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Java / Kotlin (Maven) | org.apache.polaris:polaris-runtime-service | < 1.4.1 | 1.4.1 |
References
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-42809
- https://github.com/apache/polaris/commit/c98d610bc8f7ee237b272e01814391838dd6abf9
- https://github.com/apache/polaris
- https://github.com/apache/polaris/releases/tag/apache-polaris-1.4.1
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/8tfsr8y7pgq6rdcvjx95hkcr47td671r
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/02/10
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-20- Platform
- Java / Kotlin (Maven)
- Package
org.apache.polaris:polaris-runtime-service- Disclosed
- 04.05.2026
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 12:22
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-8ggj-j522-h5qf - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: org.apache.polaris:polaris-runtime-service
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Java / Kotlin (Maven)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 2
- First → latest
- 05.2026 05.2026
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 2
Disclosures per year
- 2026: 2
-
Apache Polaris has an Improper Input Validation Issue this entry
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