---
id: "CVE-2026-118029"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-118029"]
title: "Unverified ownership of the default query result location in the Athena module in AWS SDK for pandas (awswrangler)\u2026"
severity: "high"
cvss: 5.9
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["athena", "aws", "data-engineering", "lab-disclosure", "package", "python"]
not_affected_if: ["explicit-result-location", "not-using-athena", "workgroup-result-config"]
published_at: "2026-10-28T00:00:00+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-28T16:04:30+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-28T16:33:49+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "lab", "url": "https://aws.amazon.com/security/security-bulletins/rss/2026-153-aws/", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-28T16:04:30+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-118029", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-28T16:33:49+00:00"}]
---

# Unverified ownership of the default query result location in the Athena module in AWS SDK for pandas (awswrangler)…

AWS SDK for pandas (awswrangler) does not verify that the default Athena query result S3 bucket belongs to the caller's account. A remote user who pre-creates that bucket can read Athena query results and alter result sets returned to the calling code.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- Run `pip show awswrangler` and compare the version to `3.16.1`.
- Check whether the code relies on the default Athena result location rather than an explicit `s3_output` or a workgroup result configuration.
- Confirm in the AWS console or CLI that the default Athena result bucket for each account and Region is owned by your account.

## Fix

- Upgrade awswrangler to `3.16.1` or later.
- Patch any forked or vendored copies of the library.
- Until upgraded, set an explicit result location or enforce a workgroup result configuration, and verify the default result bucket is owned by your account.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-28T16:04:30+00:00 lab https://aws.amazon.com/security/security-bulletins/rss/2026-153-aws/ — AWS: CVE-2026-118029 - Unverified ownership of the default Athena query result location in AWS SDK for pandas
- 2026-10-28T16:33:49+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-118029

## Documents

- [advisory] AWS: CVE-2026-118029 - Unverified ownership of the default Athena query result location in AWS SDK for pandas https://aws.amazon.com/security/security-bulletins/rss/2026-153-aws/

## From the sources

CVE-2026-118029 - Unverified ownership of the default Athena query result location in AWS SDK for pandas

### CVE-2026-118029 - Unverified ownership of the default Athena query result location in AWS SDK for pandas

Bulletin ID: 2026-153-AWS Scope: AWS Content Type: Important (requires attention) Publication Date: 10/28/2026 08:30 AM PDT

Description:

AWS SDK for pandas (awswrangler) is an open-source Python library that integrates pandas with AWS data services such as Amazon Athena, Amazon S3, and AWS Glue. We identified CVE-2026-118029 in the Athena module, where unverified ownership of the default query result location could allow a remote user to read Athena query results and tamper with result sets returned to the caller via a pre-created S3 bucket.

Impacted versions: awswrangler < 3.16.1

Resolution:

This issue has been addressed in AWS SDK for pandas version 3.16.1, released May 8, 2026. We recommend upgrading to the latest version and ensuring any forked or derivative code is patched to incorporate the new fixes.

Workarounds:

Verify that the default Athena result bucket in each account and Region is owned by your own account, and set an explicit result location or enforce a workgroup result configuration.

References:

- CVE-2026-118029
- GHSA-34f4-24c9-rgcm

Acknowledgement:

We would like to thank Dan Gansel of Upwind Security for collaborating on this issue through the coordinated vulnerability disclosure process.

 Please email aws-security@amazon.com with any security questions or concerns.

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_