Apache Airflow CNCF Kubernetes provider: JWT Token Exposure in KubernetesExecutor Command-Line Arguments

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

8.7 · CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L

EPSS

• CVE-2026-27173: 0.16% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 4.81 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

JWT tokens that were used by workers in Kubernetes Executors have been exposed to users who had read only access to Kuberentes Pods. This could allow users with just read-only access to perform actions that were only available to running tasks via Task SDK and potentially allow to modify state of Airflow Database for tasks.

Published by the source

19 May 2026, 21:32 UTC

Last modified by the source

13 Jul 2026, 16:42 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 13:42 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-524w-vq63-2xhf

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-524w-vq63-2xhf

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-27173

Advisory: Apache Airflow CNCF Kubernetes provider: JWT Token Exposure in KubernetesExecutor Command-Line Arguments
IDs: CVE-2026-27173, GHSA-524w-vq63-2xhf
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-27173 (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 13:42 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 8.7)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: apache-airflow-providers-cncf-kubernetes 10.17.0. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- PyPI apache-airflow-providers-cncf-kubernetes: affected < 10.17.0; fixed in 10.17.0

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `python -m pip show apache-airflow-providers-cncf-kubernetes`: prints the installed version. Run with the environment that serves production active.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on apache-airflow-providers-cncf-kubernetes.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-524w-vq63-2xhf (OSV record GHSA-524w-vq63-2xhf lists affected ranges: PyPI apache-airflow-providers-cncf-kubernetes >=0 <10.17.0 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-524w-vq63-2xhf (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-524w-vq63-2xhf lists affected ranges: PyPI apache-airflow-providers-cncf-kubernetes >=0 <10.17.0)

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