Summary
Apache Airflow has an Incorrect Authorization issue
Full technical description
Exploitation requires the attacker to already be an authenticated Airflow worker holding a valid Log-server JWT issued for at least one Dag. Apache Airflow's Log server authorized JWT tokens against Dag IDs by applying Python's str.lstrip() to the requested path segment when verifying the JWT's sub claim. str.lstrip() strips any of a set of characters from the left (not a prefix), so a JWT issued for a Dag named e.g. dag_a would authorize log access to any other Dag whose name began with any subset of the characters {d, a, g, _} (e.g. dag_attacker, aaaa_target, _dag_secret). Such an authenticated worker could enumerate and read worker logs of other Dags whose names happened to share that character-class prefix, leaking task output and error traces beyond the documented per-Dag isolation boundary. Affects deployments relying on per-Dag log-access scoping (multi-team, shared-executor, shared-worker topologies). Users are advised to upgrade to apache-airflow 3.2.2 or later.
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-2026-45426 has a CVSS score of 3.1 (Low). The vector is network-reachable, low 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 (3.2.2); 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-2026-45426? CVE-2026-45426 is a low-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in apache-airflow (pip), affecting versions >= 3.0.0, < 3.2.2. It is fixed in 3.2.2. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
- How severe is CVE-2026-45426? CVE-2026-45426 has a CVSS score of 3.1 (Low). 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 apache-airflow are affected by CVE-2026-45426? apache-airflow (pip) versions >= 3.0.0, < 3.2.2 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-45426? Yes. CVE-2026-45426 is fixed in 3.2.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-45426 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-45426 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-2026-45426 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-2026-45426? Upgrade
apache-airflowto 3.2.2 or later.