Apache Polaris vulnerabilities

Apache Polaris contains a vulnerability allowing a user who can change table settings to bypass storage location validation during metadata writes. Changing only the `write.metadata.path` property via an `ALTER TABLE`-style change skips the commit-time validation branch, potentially causing Polaris to write metadata to an attacker-chosen location and later vend credentials for that location.

Apache Polaris issues short-lived GCS credentials with a CEL-based path restriction built without escaping the namespace or table identifier. A crafted identifier containing a single quote and CEL fragments can break out of the quoted string and broaden the credentials to the entire configured bucket. This was confirmed in testing against Polaris 1.4.0 with real Google Cloud Storage.

Apache Polaris accepts literal `*` characters in namespace and table names and later reuses them unescaped in S3 IAM resource patterns and `s3:prefix` conditions. Because `*` acts as a wildcard in S3 IAM policy matching, temporary credentials issued for a crafted table (e.g. `f*.t1`, `*.*`) can match the storage path of a different table. Confirmed behavior includes reading another table's Iceberg metadata JSON, listing its exact S3 prefix, and creating or deleting objects under it when write delegation is returned.

Apache Polaris issues broad temporary (vended) storage credentials during staged table creation before the effective table location has been validated or durably reserved. An attacker can supply a custom location (or write.data.path/write.metadata.path), making the credential scope attacker-directed.

Apache Polaris allows an authenticated principal with permission to create or update Iceberg table properties to set FileIO client settings such as s3.endpoint in table metadata. In versions < 1.8.0, Polaris may use these settings to construct its server-side FileIO client, potentially redirecting storage traffic to a host chosen by the table writer and exposing authentication material.

Apache Polaris did not consistently validate storage locations supplied during table and view registration. An authenticated principal with registration permissions could cause Polaris to use the catalog's storage credentials to read a caller-selected Iceberg metadata file before verifying it was within allowed locations, potentially disclosing limited information. Polaris could also accept registration metadata with references to external locations, but this did not cause reads.