CVE-2026-49845 Apache Hive: SQL Injection vulnerability in HiveMetaStore partition-name direct-SQL paths

Critical 9.8 Published 25 Aug 2026 Updated 4 Sep 2026

Authenticated users can inject SQL via crafted partition names in Apache Hive Metastore to read or modify unintended partition metadata.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Not needed
Attackable: Over the internet
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: None listed

What is CVE-2026-49845?

CVE-2026-49845 is a critical SQL injection vulnerability in Apache Hive, published on 25 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

Official description

SQL injection in Hive Metastore direct SQL partition-name resolution in Apache Hive before 4.2.1 on all platforms allows authenticated users with access to Hive Metastore APIs to read, modify, or affect unintended partition metadata (including statistics updates, truncation targets, and file-metadata cache operations) via crafted partition names in metastore RPC requests when direct SQL is enabled (the default). Users are recommended to upgrade to version 4.2.1, which fixes this issue.

Details about the issue: Several Hive Metastore RPCs resolve partitions by full partition name (PART_NAME) through direct-SQL helpers. In those paths, client-supplied partition names are embedded into SQL using string concatenation (DirectSqlUpdatePart.quoteString() → '...') instead of bind parameters. A partition name containing a single quote (and crafted SQL) can alter the generated WHERE clause so that lookups intended for one partition match additional rows. That can affect reads, stats updates, truncate targets, metadata-cache targets, and related operations when metastore.try.direct.sql is enabled (default: true). An authenticated or network-trusted caller with the ability to invoke Hive Metastore partition-name APIs against a target table (directly or via Hive/other clients), when direct SQL is enabled can perform this attack. Also, the impact is mainly within table & partition targeting (read/update/truncate/drop/cache the wrong partitions in a table they can reference), not arbitrary cross-database access via this bug alone.

Weakness: CWE-94

Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-49845?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Apache Hive.

How do I fix CVE-2026-49845?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-49845 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

Use parameterised queries everywhere and never build SQL by joining strings. Upgrade affected software first; a web application firewall only buys time. More about SQL injection.

Is CVE-2026-49845 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-49845 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Sources

Also known as GHSA-5555-2x3r-gmgx.