Apache Airflow 3.3.2 Fixes Authorization and Token Handling
Tech GuruQuick Answer
The authority published CVE-2026-75158 for Apache Airflow releases before 3.3.2, subject to the advisory-specific starting versions. Apache Airflow's `/assets/events` API returned asset events for every Dag in the deployment, with no filter restricting them to the Dags the caller is authorized to read. Any authenticated user holding asset-read access could therefore enumerate asset events — including the source Dag ID, task ID, run ID and event timestamps — for Dags they have no permission to see. Because the filter was also absent from the count query, `total_entries` and pagination disclosed the existence of hidden Dags even without inspecting individual rows. Deployments are affected whenever per-Dag access control is used to separate teams or tenants; no special configuration is required. Upgrade to apache-airflow 3.3.2 or later. When a request to the Airflow core API carries both a session cookie and an explicit `Authorization: Bearer` token, Airflow resolves the caller from the cookie and ignores the bearer token, inverting the intended precedence of bearer over cookie. The request then executes -- and is recorded in the audit log -- as the cookie's principal rather than the identity the client explicitly presented. Only Apache Airflow 3.3.0 and 3.3.1 are affected. Earlier releases do not contain the code path that caches the cookie-derived user, and are not vulnerable. Exploiting this requires an attacker to first place a valid session cookie of their own into the victim's browser or client: for example by cookie tossing from a sibling subdomain, through cross-site scripting in a separate application sharing a parent domain, or via a shared workstation. Deployments that host the Airflow UI on a domain shared with other applications are therefore the most exposed; a deployment on a dedicated domain with no co-hosted applications is not reachable this way. The consequence is principal confusion and misattributed audit records rather than a direct privilege escalation. Users of 3.3.0 or 3.3.1 should upgrade to Apache Airflow 3.3.2 or later, which resolves the caller from the explicitly supplied credential whenever one is present. Apache Airflow: the Core API logout endpoint revokes only a session token presented as the _token cookie. When a client logs out presenting its credential as an Authorization bearer header instead, the endpoint returns its normal logout response but revokes nothing, so the token remains valid until it expires. An attacker who already holds a copy of that token keeps the victim's access after the victim has logged out and believes the session ended; the default token lifetime is 24 hours and is configurable. Affects API clients that authenticate with a bearer token rather than the browser session cookie. The attacker must already possess a copy of a valid token; obtaining one is outside the scope of this issue, and no privileges beyond the victim's own are gained. Users of apache-airflow are recommended to upgrade to apache-airflow version 3.3.2 or later, which fixes the issue. Affected deployments should be matched to the authority's exact scope and moved to the supported fixed release.
Confirm Scope And Apply The Supported Fix
What to do now: Inventory Apache Airflow releases before 3.3.2, subject to the advisory-specific starting versions, match the exact affected release or feature, apply the authority-supported fixed build or service remediation, validate the dependent workflow, and preserve evidence.
Last verified: 2026-09-21 UTC. Recheck the authoritative advisory and supported distribution channel before changing production.
Scope And Authority
| Product scope | Apache Airflow releases before 3.3.2, subject to the advisory-specific starting versions |
|---|---|
| Advisory | CVE-2026-75158 / CVE-2026-82355 / CVE-2026-86473 |
| CVEs | CVE-2026-75158, CVE-2026-82355, CVE-2026-86473 |
| Authoritative release date | 2026-09-21 14:32:04.932 UTC |
| Authority revision date | 2026-09-21 15:26:48.122 UTC |
| Affected versions | Apache Airflow releases before 3.3.2, subject to the advisory-specific starting versions |
| Fixed version | Apache Airflow 3.3.2 |
| CVSS base score | Not provided by the authority |
| CVSS severity | Not provided by the authority |
| Exploitation status | Not stated by the authority; no exploitation claim is inferred. |
What Changed
Apache Airflow's `/assets/events` API returned asset events for every Dag in the deployment, with no filter restricting them to the Dags the caller is authorized to read. Any authenticated user holding asset-read access could therefore enumerate asset events — including the source Dag ID, task ID, run ID and event timestamps — for Dags they have no permission to see. Because the filter was also absent from the count query, `total_entries` and pagination disclosed the existence of hidden Dags even without inspecting individual rows. Deployments are affected whenever per-Dag access control is used to separate teams or tenants; no special configuration is required. Upgrade to apache-airflow 3.3.2 or later. When a request to the Airflow core API carries both a session cookie and an explicit `Authorization: Bearer` token, Airflow resolves the caller from the cookie and ignores the bearer token, inverting the intended precedence of bearer over cookie. The request then executes -- and is recorded in the audit log -- as the cookie's principal rather than the identity the client explicitly presented. Only Apache Airflow 3.3.0 and 3.3.1 are affected. Earlier releases do not contain the code path that caches the cookie-derived user, and are not vulnerable. Exploiting this requires an attacker to first place a valid session cookie of their own into the victim's browser or client: for example by cookie tossing from a sibling subdomain, through cross-site scripting in a separate application sharing a parent domain, or via a shared workstation. Deployments that host the Airflow UI on a domain shared with other applications are therefore the most exposed; a deployment on a dedicated domain with no co-hosted applications is not reachable this way. The consequence is principal confusion and misattributed audit records rather than a direct privilege escalation. Users of 3.3.0 or 3.3.1 should upgrade to Apache Airflow 3.3.2 or later, which resolves the caller from the explicitly supplied credential whenever one is present. Apache Airflow: the Core API logout endpoint revokes only a session token presented as the _token cookie. When a client logs out presenting its credential as an Authorization bearer header instead, the endpoint returns its normal logout response but revokes nothing, so the token remains valid until it expires. An attacker who already holds a copy of that token keeps the victim's access after the victim has logged out and believes the session ended; the default token lifetime is 24 hours and is configurable. Affects API clients that authenticate with a bearer token rather than the browser session cookie. The attacker must already possess a copy of a valid token; obtaining one is outside the scope of this issue, and no privileges beyond the victim's own are gained. Users of apache-airflow are recommended to upgrade to apache-airflow version 3.3.2 or later, which fixes the issue.
What To Validate Now
- Inventory. Locate Apache Airflow releases before 3.3.2, subject to the advisory-specific starting versions deployments, versions, enabled features, exposure paths, owners, and dependent services.
- Establish applicability. Compare each deployment with the authority's affected-version statement: Apache Airflow releases before 3.3.2, subject to the advisory-specific starting versions Do not infer applicability from product family or severity alone.
- Remediate. Apply Apache Airflow 3.3.2 through the supported vendor or project channel, following the current advisory and change-control requirements.
- Validate. Confirm the resulting version or managed-service state, exercise representative functionality and recovery paths, monitor for regressions, and document exceptions.
- Retain evidence. Preserve asset and owner identifiers, the applicability decision, before-and-after versions, change approval, installation output, validation results, and any exception or rollback record.
Operational Cautions
Use the exact supported release stream and repository. Test dependencies, clusters, integrations, and rollback before broad deployment; a CVSS rating or reachable feature is not evidence of exploitation.
Evidence To Retain
- Exact product, release stream, package or application version, enabled feature, environment, and accountable owner.
- UTC timestamps, authority revision, approved change record, installer or package-manager output, and resulting version.
- Relevant logs and monitoring evidence, test results, exceptions, compensating controls, and rollback decisions.
Related TechGeeks Resources
Authoritative References
Correction policy: If the authority changes affected versions, fixed versions, severity, exploitation information, mitigations, or required action, TechGeeks will update this notice and its verification date.
