In Apache Iceberg, the table's metadata files are control files: they tell readers
which data files belong to the table and which table version to read.



`wri…

Apache Iceberg vulnerability where changing the write.metadata.path property through ALTER TABLE bypasses location validation in Polaris-managed catalogs. Attackers can cause Polaris to write metadata to attacker-chosen storage locations, potentially exposing or corrupting data beyond the target table. The issue requires polaris.config.allow.unstructured.table.location=true and broad allowedLocations configuration. Primary defect is that Polaris skips intended location checks when only write.metadata.path changes, leading to unauthorized storage access and credential vending.