Apache Airflow: RCE by race condition in example_xcom dag
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-94.
Summary
The example example_xcom that was included in airflow documentation implemented unsafe pattern of reading value from xcom in the way that could be exploited to allow UI user who had access to modify XComs to perform arbitrary execution of code on the worker. Since the UI users are already highly trusted, this is a Low severity vulnerability. It does not affect Airflow release - example_dags are not supposed to be enabled in production environment, however users following the example could replicate the bad pattern. Documentation of Airflow 3.2.0 contains version of the example with improved resiliance for that case. Users who followed that pattern are advised to adjust their implementations accordingly.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Apache Airflow (Apache Software Foundation) Fixed in 3.0.0
- Fix · CNA Apache Airflow (Apache Software Foundation) Fixed in 3.2.0
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
Apache Airflow 3.0.0
2 records Highest priority Priority LOW 2 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2026-20369 Information disclosure in Apache AirflowPriority LOW 30
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-54550
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-q2hg-643c-gw8h
- 2026-11-03 Fix available: [email protected], [email protected] · CNA
- 2026-11-03 Advisory GHSA-q2hg-643c-gw8h withdrawn
References
More Apache Airflow vulnerabilities
- TI-2020-10905 Missing authentication in Apache Airflow KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- 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
Sources
- CVE-2025-54550 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-54550 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-q2hg-643c-gw8h · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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