Vulnerability Description
An improper authentication vulnerability in HiveServer2 SAML bearer-token validation in Apache Hive 4.0.0 through 4.2.0 (and later unreleased branches) on deployments using HTTP transport with hive.server2.authentication=SAML allows an unauthenticated network attacker to authenticate as an arbitrary Hive user and obtain an authenticated HiveServer2 session via a forged Authorization: Bearer token sent to the /cliservice HTTP endpoint. Users are recommended to upgrade to 4.2.1 version that includes the fix for this issue. Access / authorization required: No Hive credentials, SAML IdP login, or knowledge of the server signing secret is required. The attacker only needs network reachability to the HiveServer2 HTTP port (typically /cliservice), directly or through a reverse proxy such as Apache Knox that forwards unauthenticated requests to HS2. The instance must have SAML authentication enabled in HTTP mode. Deployments where Knox handles SSO and HiveServer2 uses LDAP/Kerberos (not native SAML mode) are not affected by this specific issue.
CVSS Score
HIGH
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Apache | Hive | >= 4.0.0, < 4.2.1 |
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://github.com/apache/hiveProduct
- https://github.com/apache/hive/commit/6ca06ca1104ff7462363087a867d70d546134774Patch
- https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/HIVE-29653Vendor Advisory
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/6d56mk501fp4f8cb5wvrpj2jwd9knt05Mailing ListVendor Advisory
FAQ
What is CVE-2026-53561?
CVE-2026-53561 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 7.4 (HIGH). An improper authentication vulnerability in HiveServer2 SAML bearer-token validation in Apache Hive 4.0.0 through 4.2.0 (and later unreleased branches) on deployments using HTTP transport with hive.se...
How severe is CVE-2026-53561?
CVE-2026-53561 has been rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.4/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-53561?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Affected products include: Apache Hive.