# CVE-2026-40563: Apache Atlas: Script injection allows access to unintended data

> Attackers can inject code into Apache Atlas DSL search endpoints to access unintended data, requiring specific non-default configurations in newer versions.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 4 May 2026
- **Updated:** 6 May 2026
- **Also known as:** CLEANSTART-2026-KR00800, GHSA-35xx-9xrg-gwhf

## What is CVE-2026-40563?

CVE-2026-40563 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Apache Atlas, published on 4 May 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Description:
Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') vulnerability in Apache Atlas
Apache Atlas exposes a DSL search endpoint that accepts user-supplied query strings. Attacker can alter Gremlin traversal logic within grammar-allowed characters to access unintended data

Affect Version:
This issue affects Apache Atlas: from 0.8 through 2.4.0.

For the affect version >= 2.0, vulnerability is only when Atlas is deployed with below non-default configuration.

atlas.dsl.executor.traversal=false

Mitigation:
Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.5.0, which fixes the issue.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-40563?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.atlas:apache-atlas. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.apache.atlas:apache-atlas` | Maven | From 0.8 | 2.5.0 |
| `org.apache.atlas:apache-atlas` | Maven | From 0.8 | 2.5.0 |

Products: Apache Atlas.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-40563?

Upgrade org.apache.atlas:apache-atlas to 2.5.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-40563 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-40563 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apache Atlas

- [CVE-2026-50622](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50622/): Apache Atlas: Missing Authorization on Admin Endpoints (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-34271](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-34271/): Apache Atlas: zip path traversal in import functionality (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2016-8752](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8752/): Path Traversal in Apache Atlas (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2017-3154](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3154/): Apache Atlas produces Stack trace in error response (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2024-46910](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-46910/): Apache Atlas: An authenticated user can perform XSS and potentially impersonate another user (high 7.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-40563 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-40563 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Apache Atlas, published on 4 May 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-40563 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.apache.atlas:apache-atlas (Maven): affected from 0.8; fixed in 2.5.0
- org.apache.atlas:apache-atlas (Maven): affected from 0.8; fixed in 2.5.0

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40563/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40563/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-40563
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-40563
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-40563

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40563/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.