CVE-2026-68076: Apache airflow Apache Airflow Environment-variable Secrets Backend Vulnerability
MODERATECVE-2026-68076 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.4) apache airflow environment-variable secrets backend vulnerability (CWE-639: Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key) affecting Apache airflow libraries in the PyPI ecosystem. The issue involves apache airflow environment-variable secrets backend permits cross-team credential use. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 3.3.1.
CVE-2026-68076 at a Glance
Security Impact
CVSS: 5.4
The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:L).
How to Fix CVE-2026-68076
To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Apache airflow dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.
pip install apache-airflow>=3.3.1Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:
pip show apache-airflowHow to Check if You Are Affected
To determine whether your Python environment is affected by CVE-2026-68076, inspect your installed packages using pip:
pip show apache-airflowAnalyze the terminal output to locate any version of Apache airflow in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 3.3.1), your application is affected.
Note: The pip show apache-airflow command checks currently installed packages in your active Python environment.
Technical Details
Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-639: Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key, where the system's authorization functionality does not prevent one user from gaining access to another user's data or record by modifying the key value identifying the data. In Apache airflow, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.
Source Advisory Statement
CVE-2026-68076 Affected Apache airflow Versions
1 component(s)| Product / Package | Ecosystem | Affected Versions | Fixed Version |
|---|---|---|---|
|
apache-airflow
|
PyPI |
< 3.3.1
|
3.3.1
|
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2026-68076?
Which Apache airflow versions are affected?
What version fixes CVE-2026-68076?
Is apache-airflow affected?
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-68076?
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-68076?
How can I check PyPI dependencies for CVE-2026-68076?
Machine-readable OSV JSON
OSV v1.5 Schema
{
"schema_version" : "1.4.0",
"id" : "GHSA-75mg-c62r-v95g",
"modified" : "2026-10-02T23:15:11Z",
"published" : "2026-08-12T18:31:18Z",
"aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-68076" ],
"summary" : "Apache Airflow environment-variable secrets backend permits cross-team credential use",
"details" : "Apache Airflow's environment-variable secrets backend resolved a team-scoped Connection or Variable from the wrong team's scope. The guard meant to prevent this only ran when no team scope was supplied, and its pattern could not match a team name containing an underscore, which team names are allowed to contain. When the guard did not apply, the lookup fell through to an unconditional global read that resolved the stored `AIRFLOW_CONN__<TEAM>___<ID>` variable regardless of which team asked. In multi-team mode an authenticated user of one team could therefore have `POST /api/v2/connections/test` resolve another team's Connection and authenticate outward with that team's credentials; the endpoint uses the credentials rather than returning them. Exploitation requires `[core] multi_team` enabled, `[core] test_connection` set to `Enabled` (it ships `Disabled`), team-scoped secrets provisioned as environment variables in the API-server process, and knowledge of the encoded identifier. Redirecting the test at an attacker-controlled host is separately blocked. Users are advised to upgrade to apache-airflow 3.3.1 or later.",
"severity" : [ {
"type" : "CVSS_V3",
"score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:L"
} ],
"affected" : [ {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "PyPI",
"name" : "apache-airflow"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "0"
}, {
"fixed" : "3.3.1"
} ]
} ]
} ],
"references" : [ {
"type" : "ADVISORY",
"url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-68076"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/70736"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/70886"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/70902"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/apache/airflow/commit/e0cac1f6b2ddd473c9e6440ee0acc32b7b6581fc"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/apache/airflow/commit/ed87a1a024a55aaa494e6a718cb876f0cbe47b44"
}, {
"type" : "PACKAGE",
"url" : "https://github.com/apache/airflow"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/apache/airflow/releases/tag/3.3.1"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/apache-airflow/PYSEC-2026-3709.yaml"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread/v4mc51dgmrc1t82mhzsngsgzo2gxsf2l"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/08/12/11"
} ],
"database_specific" : {
"cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-639" ],
"severity" : "MODERATE",
"github_reviewed" : true,
"github_reviewed_at" : "2026-10-02T23:15:11Z",
"nvd_published_at" : "2026-08-12T16:17:15Z"
}
}