CVEs / CVE-2020-13927
CVE-2020-13927: Apache Airflow's Experimental API Authentication Bypass
- Known exploited in the CISA KEV catalog since 18 Jan 2022
- critical 9.8 CVSS 3.1 (NVD)
- EPSS 99.7% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99% of CVEs (30 Oct 2026)
- Last changed at its sources
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Summary
The previous default setting for Airflow's Experimental API was to allow all API requests without authentication.
Description
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
Affected and fixed versions
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| n/a Apache Airflow | Apache Airflow <1.10.11 | — |
| apache airflow | before 1.10.11 | 1.10.11 |
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| apache-airflow (PyPI) | before 1.10.11 | 1.10.11 |
Package versions from GHSA-hhx9-p69v-cx2j.
Exploitation
| In CISA KEV since | 18 Jan 2022 |
|---|---|
| Due date for US federal agencies | 18 Jul 2022 |
| Used in ransomware campaigns | Unknown |
| Required action | Apply updates per vendor instructions. |
Severity
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.8 criticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HScored by NVD |
|---|---|
| Weakness | CWE-306, CWE-1188, CWE-1056 |
References
- CVE-2020-13927 on NVD
- CVE-2020-13927 in the CISA KEV catalog
- CVE-2020-13927 on OSV
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162908/Apache-Airflow-1.10.10-Remote-Code-Execution.html Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174764/Apache-Airflow-1.10.10-Remote-Code-Execution.html Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r23a81b247aa346ff193670be565b2b8ea4b17ddbc7a35fc099c1aadd%40%3Cdev.airflow.apache.org%3E Mailing List, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-13927 Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
Sources
Exploitation status from the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. EPSS scores from FIRST. Descriptions, severity and references from the National Vulnerability Database. Open-source package versions from OSV (CC-BY 4.0). Text is shown as each source states it; Stackurity does not edit it. Check the vendor's advisory before acting.
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.