CVE-2026-53561
Apache Hive: Unauthenticated authentication bypass in HiveServer2 HTTP SAML bearer-token validation allows impersonation of any Hive user
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 Vector Breakdown
AV:NAttack VectorAC:HAttack ComplexityPR:NPrivileges RequiredUI:NUser InteractionS:UScopeC:HConfidentialityI:HIntegrityA:NAvailabilityWeaknesses
Affected Products
Exploitability
Attack Graph
Click technique nodes for MITRE ATT&CK details · drag to pan · Ctrl/⌘ + scroll to zoom, or go fullscreen.
MITRE ATT&CK
3 techniquesReferences
Unlock Complete Vulnerability Intelligence
Get the full picture for CVE-2026-53561 and every CVE in our database. Create a free account — no credit card required.
Create Free Account