Apache Airflow exposes secrets backend credentials through the Config API

Exploitation

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

CVSS

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

EPSS

• CVE-2026-48892: 0.66% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 51.79 (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.

The Config API in Apache Airflow surfaced per-key secrets-backend overrides (environment variables like AIRFLOWSECRETSBACKENDKWARGSECRETID and AIRFLOWWORKERSSECRETSBACKENDKWARGSECRETID) as synthetic config options whose option names were not in sensitiveconfigvalues, so the masker did not redact them. An authenticated UI/API user with Config read permission could retrieve plaintext secrets-backend credentials (Vault roleid / secretid, etc.) from the Config API output. Affects deployments that configure secrets backends via per-key environment overrides. Users are advised to upgrade to apache-airflow 3.3.0 or later.

Published by the source

7 Jul 2026, 12:31 UTC

Last modified by the source

4 Sep 2026, 19:40 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 13:51 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-9933-5rrp-mfwx

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-9933-5rrp-mfwx

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-48892

Advisory: Apache Airflow exposes secrets backend credentials through the Config API
IDs: CVE-2026-48892, GHSA-9933-5rrp-mfwx
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-48892 (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 13:51 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 6.5)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: apache-airflow 3.3.0. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- PyPI apache-airflow: affected < 3.3.0; fixed in 3.3.0

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `python -m pip show apache-airflow`: 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.
- 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-9933-5rrp-mfwx (OSV record GHSA-9933-5rrp-mfwx lists affected ranges: PyPI apache-airflow >=0 <3.3.0 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-9933-5rrp-mfwx (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-9933-5rrp-mfwx lists affected ranges: PyPI apache-airflow >=0 <3.3.0)

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