Summary
Prefect has an Authentication Middleware Bypass when URL paths are appended with 'health' or 'ready'
Full technical description
In version 3.6.19 of prefecthq/prefect, an authentication bypass vulnerability exists due to the improper handling of URL path exemptions for health check probes. Specifically, the authentication middleware exempts any URL path ending with 'health' or 'ready' from authentication checks. This allows an attacker to create resources with names ending in 'health' or 'ready' and access them without authentication. Affected endpoints include those for variables, flows, work pools, work queues, and deployments. This vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information, such as API keys and database credentials, stored in Prefect Variables.
Impact
The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.
CVE-2026-3514 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. 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 (3.6.22.dev7); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
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. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-3514? CVE-2026-3514 is a high-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in prefect (pip), affecting versions < 3.6.22.dev7. It is fixed in 3.6.22.dev7. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
- How severe is CVE-2026-3514? CVE-2026-3514 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). 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.
- Which versions of prefect are affected by CVE-2026-3514? prefect (pip) versions < 3.6.22.dev7 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-3514? Yes. CVE-2026-3514 is fixed in 3.6.22.dev7. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-3514 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-3514 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
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-3514 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.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-3514? Upgrade
prefectto 3.6.22.dev7 or later.