Apache Polaris has an Improper Input Validation IssueGHSA-8ggj-j522-h5qf
CRITICALFix: apache/polaris@c98d610GHSA-8ggj-j522-h5qf is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.9) Improper Input Validation vulnerability in org.apache.polaris:polaris-runtime-service. A fix is available for org.apache.polaris:polaris-runtime-service — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-8ggj-j522-h5qf.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
Where this sits among everything scored
Real-World Exposure
org.apache.polaris:polaris-runtime-serviceReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
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.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.polaris:polaris-runtime-service | all versions | 1.4.1org.apache.polaris:polaris-runtime-service:1.4.1 |
Affected Products
polarisapacheDetection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.polaris:polaris-runtime-service, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.polaris:polaris-runtime-service to 1.4.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-8ggj-j522-h5qf is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Put an independent control in front of the weakness: restrict the affected endpoint or interface to trusted networks, require an additional authentication factor or proxy-level check, and invalidate existing sessions and credentials in case the flaw has already been used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-8ggj-j522-h5qf in your dependencies?
Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies.