Apache Airflow: DAG author RCE on webserver via unrestricted import_string() in BaseSerialization.deserialize() (Apache Software Foundation Apache Airflow)
At a glance
- Source
- NVD
- EPSS
- EPSS 1.65 % · percentile 76 ()
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Published
- Updated
- Assigner
- apache
- NVD status
- Analyzed
Description
A bug in `BaseSerialization.deserialize()` allowed unrestricted `import_string()` of attacker-controlled class paths when the Scheduler / API Server loaded a serialized DAG: a DAG author could embed a malicious trigger into a DAG to gain remote code execution on the API Server / Scheduler process, crossing the Airflow security boundary that DAG-author code must never execute in those processes. Users are advised to upgrade to `apache-airflow` 3.3.0 or later. As a defense-in-depth mitigation, deployments where DAG-author trust is limited can restrict the `[core] allowed_deserialization_classes` config to a narrow allowlist.
Weaknesses (CWE)
- CWE-502 — Deserialization of Untrusted Data
References
Scores
| Version | Score | Vector | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | CRITICAL 9.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H | CISA-ADP |
| CVSS 3.1 | CRITICAL 9.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H | NVD · 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 (Secondary) |
Advisories
- GHSA-2943-9672-r45w — Apache Airflow allows code execution through unsafe serialized DAG deserialization
- PYSEC-2026-2082 — A bug in `BaseSerialization.deserialize()` allowed unrestricted `import_string()` of attacker-controlled class paths when the Scheduler / API Server loaded a se
European references
- ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2026-42030
- GCVE · GCVE-0-2026-33264
Affected configurations (NVD CPE)
cpe:2.3:a:apache:airflow:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*< 3.3.0
Affected products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
| Apache Software Foundation · Apache Airflow | affected 0 < 3.3.0 |
Sources
| Source | Licence |
|---|---|
| CVE List (CVEProject cvelistV5) | CVE Program Terms of Use |
| EPSS (FIRST.org) | FIRST — attribution requested |
| ENISA EUVD | ENISA — reproduction authorised, source acknowledged |
| NVD (NIST) via fkie-cad/nvd-json-data-feeds | Public domain — this product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD |