CVE-2026-35560 Overview
CVE-2026-35560 is a critical improper certificate validation vulnerability (CWE-295) affecting the identity provider connection components in Amazon Athena ODBC driver versions prior to 2.1.0.0. The vulnerability allows a man-in-the-middle threat actor to intercept authentication credentials due to insufficient default transport security when connecting to identity providers.
This security flaw specifically impacts connections with external identity providers and does not apply to direct connections with Athena. Organizations using federated authentication with the Athena ODBC driver should prioritize remediation to prevent credential interception attacks.
Critical Impact
Authentication credentials can be intercepted by man-in-the-middle attackers due to improper certificate validation when connecting to external identity providers, potentially leading to unauthorized access to AWS Athena resources and sensitive data.
Affected Products
- Amazon Athena ODBC Driver versions prior to 2.1.0.0 (Windows)
- Amazon Athena ODBC Driver versions prior to 2.1.0.0 (Linux)
- Amazon Athena ODBC Driver versions prior to 2.1.0.0 (macOS Intel and ARM)
Discovery Timeline
- April 3, 2026 - CVE-2026-35560 published to NVD
- April 7, 2026 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-35560
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the identity provider connection components of the Amazon Athena ODBC driver. When the driver establishes connections with external identity providers for federated authentication, it fails to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates by default. This insufficient transport security implementation creates an opportunity for attackers positioned on the network path between the client and the identity provider.
The improper certificate validation means the driver may accept invalid, expired, or fraudulent certificates without proper verification. This allows an attacker to present a malicious certificate and establish what appears to be a secure connection, while actually intercepting all traffic including sensitive authentication credentials such as usernames, passwords, and authentication tokens.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper certificate validation (CWE-295) in the identity provider connection handling code. The driver's default configuration does not enforce strict certificate validation when establishing TLS connections to external identity providers. This security misconfiguration allows the driver to accept certificates that would otherwise be rejected, including:
- Self-signed certificates without proper trust chain
- Certificates with hostname mismatches
- Expired or revoked certificates
- Certificates signed by untrusted certificate authorities
Attack Vector
The attack leverages a network-based man-in-the-middle position. An attacker must be able to intercept network traffic between the victim's system running the Athena ODBC driver and the external identity provider. This could be achieved through:
- ARP spoofing on local networks
- DNS hijacking
- Compromised network infrastructure
- Rogue WiFi access points
Once positioned, the attacker presents a fraudulent certificate to the ODBC driver. Due to the improper validation, the driver accepts the certificate and establishes a connection with the attacker's system instead of the legitimate identity provider. The attacker can then capture authentication credentials as they are transmitted.
Since no verified code examples are available, organizations should refer to the AWS Security Bulletin 2026-013 for detailed technical information about the vulnerability and its exploitation mechanics.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-35560
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected certificate warnings or errors in application logs related to Athena ODBC connections
- Network traffic anomalies showing connections to identity providers being routed through unexpected IP addresses
- Authentication failures or unusual login patterns to AWS Athena services
- Evidence of ARP spoofing or DNS manipulation targeting identity provider domains
Detection Strategies
- Implement network monitoring to detect man-in-the-middle attack indicators such as ARP spoofing or DNS hijacking
- Review Athena ODBC driver version inventories across all systems to identify vulnerable installations
- Monitor AWS CloudTrail logs for suspicious authentication patterns or unauthorized Athena access
- Deploy certificate transparency monitoring for identity provider domains
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose logging for ODBC connections to capture certificate validation details
- Configure SIEM rules to alert on connection anomalies between clients and identity providers
- Implement endpoint detection to identify outdated Athena ODBC driver installations
- Monitor network traffic for connections to identity providers that bypass expected routes
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-35560
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Amazon Athena ODBC driver to version 2.1.0.0 or later immediately
- Audit all systems using the Athena ODBC driver with external identity provider authentication
- Review recent authentication logs for signs of credential compromise
- Consider rotating credentials for any accounts that may have been exposed
Patch Information
Amazon has released version 2.1.0.0 of the Athena ODBC driver which addresses this vulnerability. Updated drivers are available for all supported platforms:
- Windows: Amazon Athena ODBC Windows Driver
- Linux: Amazon Athena ODBC Linux Driver
- macOS Intel: Amazon Athena ODBC Mac Intel Driver
- macOS ARM: Amazon Athena ODBC Mac ARM Driver
For detailed release notes, see the AWS Athena ODBC Driver Release Notes.
Workarounds
- If immediate upgrade is not possible, avoid using external identity provider authentication with vulnerable driver versions
- Implement network segmentation to reduce man-in-the-middle attack surfaces
- Use VPN connections for all Athena ODBC communications to add an additional encryption layer
- Deploy network intrusion detection systems to identify potential MITM attacks
# Verify installed Athena ODBC driver version on Linux
rpm -qa | grep AmazonAthenaODBC
# Verify installed Athena ODBC driver version on Windows (PowerShell)
# Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Where-Object {$_.Name -like "*Athena*ODBC*"} | Select-Object Name, Version
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
