# CVE-2026-118029: AWS SDK for pandas Athena query result location ownership bypass

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-118029-unverified-ownership-of-the-default-athena-query-result-location  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-10-28. Updated: 2026-10-28  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-118029 · Severity: high · CVSS 5.9 · Published 2026-10-28

AWS SDK for pandas (awswrangler) is a Python library that connects data analysis tools to AWS services like Amazon Athena and S3. An attacker could intercept Athena query results stored in S3 by pre-creating a bucket with the default result location name, allowing them to read sensitive data or modify query results returned to applications.

Technologies: [Amazon AWS](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/aws). Vendors: [Amazon](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/amazon), [AWS](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/aws).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-118029 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-118029 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-118029?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 5.9, published 28 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** AWS SDK for pandas < 3.16.1.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-118029?** Yes: fixed in AWS SDK for pandas 3.16.1. Until then: 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 to prevent use of predictable default names.</anigation>
<parameter name="attack_vector">["network"] Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-118029 attacked?** It is in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-118029?** Check whether you run Amazon AWS or AWS SDK for pandas at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- Fixed in AWS SDK for pandas 3.16.1

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 to prevent use of predictable default names.</anigation>
<parameter name="attack_vector">["network"]

## Technical details

The Athena module in awswrangler fails to verify ownership of the default S3 bucket used for query results, allowing an attacker to create a bucket with the expected name and intercept or tamper with query output. This is a pre-auth network attack that requires an attacker to guess or know the default bucket name and create it before the legitimate user. The vulnerability has been fixed in version 3.16.1.

## Affected products

- AWS SDK for pandas < 3.16.1

## Timeline

- 2026-10-28: disclosed: AWS Security Bulletin published

## References

- [https://aws.amazon.com/security/security-bulletins/rss/2026-153-aws/](https://aws.amazon.com/security/security-bulletins/rss/2026-153-aws/)

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