CVE-2021-28359

The "origin" parameter passed to some of the endpoints like '/trigger' was vulnerable to XSS exploit. This issue affects Apache Airflow versions <1.10.15 in 1.x series and affects 2.0.0 and 2.0.1 and 2.x series. This is the same as CVE-2020-13944 & CVE-2020-17515 but the implemented fix did not fix the issue completely. Update to Airflow 1.10.15 or 2.0.2. Please also update your Python version to the latest available PATCH releases of the installed MINOR versions, example update to Python 3.6.13 if you are on Python 3.6. (Those contain the fix for CVE-2021-23336 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-23336).

Untrusted input is rendered as active markup in a victim's browser, which can run script in their session. Typical impact: session or credential theft, and actions taken as the user.

CVE-2021-28359 has a CVSS score of 6.1 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (1.10.15, 2.0.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2021-28359? CVE-2021-28359 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in apache-airflow (pip), affecting versions < 1.10.15. It is fixed in 1.10.15, 2.0.2. Untrusted input is rendered as active markup in a victim's browser, which can run script in their session.
2. How severe is CVE-2021-28359? CVE-2021-28359 has a CVSS score of 6.1 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of apache-airflow are affected by CVE-2021-28359? apache-airflow (pip) versions < 1.10.15 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2021-28359? Yes. CVE-2021-28359 is fixed in 1.10.15, 2.0.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2021-28359 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2021-28359 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2021-28359 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2021-28359?
   • Upgrade apache-airflow to 1.10.15 or later
   • Upgrade apache-airflow to 2.0.2 or later