CVE-2024-26016 is an authorization vulnerability identified in Apache Superset, an open-source data visualization and business intelligence platform maintained by the Apache Software Foundation. The flaw is classified under CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization). It affects versions prior to 3.0.4 and versions from 3.1.0 up to but not including 3.1.1. The vulnerability allows a low-privilege authenticated user to import dashboards or charts that they do not have permission to access. After importing, the attacker can modify the metadata of these objects, effectively gaining ownership and control over them within the Superset environment. However, it is important to note that this ownership escalation does not grant unauthorized access to the underlying analytical data, as data access remains governed by existing data access control policies. This means that while an attacker can manipulate dashboard or chart metadata and potentially influence what is displayed or shared, they cannot directly view or extract data they are not authorized to see. The vulnerability arises due to insufficient authorization checks during the import and ownership assignment processes. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. The issue was addressed in Apache Superset version 3.1.1, and users are strongly advised to upgrade to this version to remediate the vulnerability.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-26016 primarily concerns the integrity and management of business intelligence assets rather than direct data breaches. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could manipulate dashboards and charts, potentially misleading decision-makers by altering visualizations or sharing unauthorized views. This could lead to incorrect business decisions, reputational damage, and loss of trust in data governance processes. Although direct data confidentiality is not compromised, the ability to control metadata and ownership could facilitate further social engineering or privilege escalation attempts within the organization. Organizations relying heavily on Apache Superset for critical analytics—such as financial institutions, healthcare providers, and government agencies—may face operational risks if dashboards are tampered with. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged to disrupt reporting workflows or to propagate misinformation internally. Given that Apache Superset is often used in multi-tenant or collaborative environments, improper ownership changes could also lead to unauthorized sharing or modification of analytical assets across teams or departments.

1. Immediate upgrade to Apache Superset version 3.1.1 or later to apply the official patch addressing this authorization flaw. 2. Implement strict role-based access controls (RBAC) and review user permissions regularly to ensure that only trusted users have import and ownership modification capabilities. 3. Monitor audit logs for unusual import activities or changes in dashboard ownership metadata, enabling early detection of exploitation attempts. 4. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all users with dashboard import privileges to reduce the risk of compromised credentials being used to exploit this vulnerability. 5. Conduct internal training to raise awareness about the risks of unauthorized dashboard manipulation and encourage reporting of suspicious activities. 6. Where possible, segregate environments so that sensitive dashboards are maintained in restricted instances or with additional access controls, limiting exposure. 7. Regularly review and validate data access policies to ensure that even if dashboard ownership changes, underlying data remains protected according to compliance requirements. 8. Consider implementing additional monitoring or alerting on metadata changes within Superset to quickly identify and respond to unauthorized modifications.