CVE-2023-39508: Apache airflow Apache Airflow Execution With Unnecessary Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-269x-pg5c-5xgm
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CVSS 8.8
CWE-200
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2023-39508 is a HIGH (CVSS 8.8) apache airflow execution with unnecessary vulnerability (CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor) affecting Apache airflow libraries in the PyPI ecosystem. The issue involves apache airflow execution with unnecessary privileges. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.6.0b1.

CVE-2023-39508 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2023-39508
GHSA Identifier GHSA-269x-pg5c-5xgm
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 8.8
CWE Classification CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor
Affected Product Apache airflow
Package Ecosystem PyPI
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 8.8

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:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2023-39508

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.

apache-airflow fixed: 2.6.0b1 
pip install apache-airflow>=2.6.0b1
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

pip show apache-airflow

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Python environment is affected by CVE-2023-39508, inspect your installed packages using pip:

pip show apache-airflow

Analyze 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 2.6.0b1), 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-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor, where the product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information. 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

Execution with Unnecessary Privileges, : Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor vulnerability in Apache Software Foundation Apache Airflow.The "Run Task" feature enables authenticated user to bypass some of the restrictions put in place. It allows to execute code in the webserver context as well as allows to bypas limitation of access the user has to certain DAGs. The "Run Task" feature is considered dangerous and it has been removed entirely in Airflow 2.6.0. This issue affects Apache Airflow: before 2.6.0.

CVE-2023-39508 Affected Apache airflow Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.6.0b1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
apache-airflow
pypi/apache-airflow
PyPI
< 2.6.0b1
2.6.0b1

References

NVD — CVE-2023-39508 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-39508
Apache airflow Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/29706
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/apache/airflow/commit/101d59c4b88ab979d305b8d96f612c27c8a44aa8
Apache airflow Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/airflow
Apache airflow Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/apache-airflow/PYSEC-2023-134.yaml
lists.apache.org/thread/j2nkjd0zqvtq... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread/j2nkjd0zqvtqk85s6ywpx3c35pvzyx15
seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2023... WEB
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2023/Jul/43

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-39508?
CVE-2023-39508 is a security vulnerability in Apache airflow involving Apache Airflow Execution with Unnecessary Privileges under CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor.
Which Apache airflow versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.6.0b1 across affected packages: apache-airflow.
What version fixes CVE-2023-39508?
Upgrading to 2.6.0b1 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is apache-airflow affected?
Yes, apache-airflow is affected in releases prior to 2.6.0b1. Upgrade your dependency to 2.6.0b1 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-39508?
CVE-2023-39508 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2023-39508?
CVE-2023-39508 is classified under CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor (The product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information.).
How can I check PyPI dependencies for CVE-2023-39508?
Run the dependency tree command: 'pip show apache-airflow'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-269x-pg5c-5xgm",
  "modified" : "2025-02-13T19:10:13Z",
  "published" : "2023-08-05T09:30:16Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2023-39508" ],
  "summary" : "Apache Airflow Execution with Unnecessary Privileges",
  "details" : "Execution with Unnecessary Privileges, : Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor vulnerability in Apache Software Foundation Apache Airflow.The \"Run Task\" feature enables authenticated user to bypass some of the restrictions put in place. It allows to execute code in the webserver context as well as allows to bypas limitation of access the user has to certain DAGs. The \"Run Task\" feature is considered dangerous and it has been removed entirely in Airflow 2.6.0.\n\nThis issue affects Apache Airflow: before 2.6.0.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "apache-airflow"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.6.0b1"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-39508"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/29706"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/airflow/commit/101d59c4b88ab979d305b8d96f612c27c8a44aa8"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/airflow"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/apache-airflow/PYSEC-2023-134.yaml"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread/j2nkjd0zqvtqk85s6ywpx3c35pvzyx15"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2023/Jul/43"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-200" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2023-08-09T14:26:52Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2023-08-05T07:15:43Z"
  }
}