CVE-2026-18941 in OpenShift AI
Summary
by MITRE • 08/11/2026
A flaw was found in Feast and feast-operator. The default configuration for both the Feast SDK and the feast-operator is "no_auth," meaning no security manager is installed. This default allows unauthenticated and unauthorized access to feature-server, registry-server, and offline-server endpoints. A remote attacker, by exploiting this missing authentication, could achieve remote code execution (RCE) by storing a malicious User-Defined Function (UDF) on the feature-server, trigger a denial of service (DoS) by forcing re-materialization of all tenant features, and gain unauthorized access to cross-tenant data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2026
This vulnerability exists within the Feast machine learning feature store ecosystem, specifically affecting both the Feast SDK and feast-operator components through their default "no_auth" configuration setting. The flaw represents a critical security oversight where the absence of any authentication mechanism creates an unsecured attack surface across multiple core server endpoints including feature-server, registry-server, and offline-server. The default configuration essentially removes all access controls, leaving the entire system vulnerable to unauthorized manipulation by any remote actor with network connectivity to the affected services.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the hardcoded default security setting that disables authentication mechanisms entirely within the Feast platform. This configuration choice means that all server endpoints operate without any form of access control or authorization checks, creating a fundamental breach in the system's security architecture. The absence of a security manager or authentication framework allows attackers to directly interact with the core services without requiring any credentials or validation. This design flaw aligns with CWE-306, which addresses missing authentication mechanisms, and represents a classic case of insecure default configurations that can lead to severe security consequences.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass multiple attack vectors that can result in complete system compromise. Remote attackers can achieve remote code execution by uploading malicious User-Defined Functions through the feature-server endpoint, effectively allowing them to execute arbitrary code within the system's runtime environment. Additionally, attackers can induce denial of service conditions by forcing re-materialization of all tenant features, which consumes significant computational resources and disrupts legitimate operations. The cross-tenant data access capability represents a particularly dangerous aspect, as it allows attackers to bypass tenant isolation mechanisms and potentially access sensitive data belonging to other users or organizations within the same Feast deployment.
The security implications of this vulnerability are severe and align with multiple ATT&CK tactics including TA0001 Initial Access through network-based exploitation, TA0002 Execution via malicious UDF deployment, and TA0003 Persistence through unauthorized access to system resources. The default insecure configuration creates an environment where attackers can escalate privileges without requiring additional exploitation techniques, as the fundamental authentication controls are entirely absent from the system architecture.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate implementation of proper authentication mechanisms within the Feast platform configuration, ensuring that all server endpoints require appropriate authorization before allowing access. Organizations should disable the default "no_auth" setting and implement robust authentication frameworks such as OAuth2 or API key-based systems. Regular security audits should verify that authentication mechanisms remain properly configured and that no unauthorized changes have been made to the system's security settings. Additionally, network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the Feast server endpoints only to authorized clients and services, further reducing the attack surface and limiting potential damage from any successful exploitation attempts.
The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure configuration management and proper default security settings in enterprise software systems. Organizations deploying Feast or similar platforms must ensure that security controls are properly configured from the initial deployment phase rather than relying on default settings that may compromise system integrity. This incident underscores the need for comprehensive security awareness training and automated security scanning processes to identify and remediate such configuration vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors in real-world environments.