Missing authentication in Apache Airflow
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-306.
Summary
The previous default setting for Airflow's Experimental API was to allow all API requests without authentication, but this poses security risks to users who miss this fact. From Airflow 1.10.11 the default has been changed to deny all requests by default and is documented at https://airflow.apache.org/docs/1.10.11/security.html#api-authentication. Note this change fixes it for new installs but existing users need to change their config to default `[api]auth_backend = airflow.api.auth.backend.deny_all` as mentioned in the Updating Guide: https://github.com/apache/airflow/blob/1.10.11/UPDATING.md#experimental-api-will-deny-all-request-by-default
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Active
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Apache Airflow | Apache Airflow <1.10.11 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| — | apache-airflow (PyPI) | before 1.10.11 | 1.10.11 | Patch available | GHSA-hhx9-p69v-cx2j |
- Apache Airflow Vendor— Affected Apache Airflow <1.10.11 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- apache-airflow (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 1.10.11 Fixed in 1.10.11 Patch available GHSA-hhx9-p69v-cx2j
Remediation
- Fix · GHSA-hhx9-p69v-cx2j apache-airflow (PyPI) Fixed in 1.10.11 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2022-01-18 Added to CISA KEV
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-13927
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-hhx9-p69v-cx2j
References
Exploit 2
Advisory 4
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r23a81b247aa346ff193670be565b2b8ea4b17ddbc7a35fc099c1aadd%40%3Cdev.airflow.apache.org%3E
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-13927
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-hhx9-p69v-cx2j
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-13927
Other 7
- https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/9611
- https://github.com/apache/airflow/commit/180bca4f993b7b778a8d2c65d3d357652218922b
- https://github.com/apache/airflow/commit/9e305d6b810a2a21e2591a80a80ec41acb3afed0
- https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow/1.10.11/security.html#api-authentication
- https://github.com/apache/airflow
- https://github.com/apache/airflow/releases/tag/1.10.11
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/apache-airflow/PYSEC-2020-18.yaml
More Apache Airflow vulnerabilities
- TI-2020-09638 OS command injection in Apache Airflow KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-19017 Apache Airflow <2.4.0 has an RCE in a bash example CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2021-16140 Apache Airflow: Variable Import endpoint missed authentication check CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2022-08169 Apache Airflow: RCE in example DAGs CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2024-26776 Apache Airflow: DAG Author Code Execution possibility in airflow-scheduler CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-22368 Apache Airflow: Open redirect during login CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.1
Sources
- CVE-2020-13927 · CVE Program
- CVE-2020-13927 · NVD
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-hhx9-p69v-cx2j · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences