CVE-2026-59242
Apache Airflow: Arbitrary airflow.* class instantiation on the API server via the XCom deserialize endpoint
Description
Apache Airflow's XCom `GET /api/v2/{...}/xcomEntries/{key}?deserialize=true` endpoint passed a string-literal payload through `BaseXCom.deserialize_value` without the `_check_forbidden_xcom_keys` guard, allowing an authenticated API user with XCom write-and-read access to instantiate arbitrary `airflow.*` classes on the API server (CWE-502). An authenticated user who can write an XCom value and then read it back with `deserialize=true` triggers the unsafe instantiation. Users are advised to upgrade to apache-airflow 3.3.1 or later, which rejects reserved XCom serialization keys submitted as JSON string literals.
INFO
Published Date :
Aug. 12, 2026, 4:17 p.m.
Last Modified :
Aug. 12, 2026, 8:50 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
Yes !
Source :
[email protected]
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | |||||
| CVSS 3.1 | MEDIUM | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 |
Solution
- Upgrade Apache Airflow to version 2.3.1 or later.
- Apply necessary patches if upgrading is not feasible immediately.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-59242.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/69378 | |
| https://lists.apache.org/thread/dm0520yhh4mn7qknyoh45r2w6c5qg2mg | |
| http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/08/12/6 |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-59242 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-59242
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-59242 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-59242 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
CVE Modified by af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
Aug. 12, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Reference http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/08/12/6 -
CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Aug. 12, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added CVSS V3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N Added SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-59242', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'none'}, {'automatable': 'no'}, {'technicalImpact': 'partial'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-08-12T16:41:51.650384Z'} -
New CVE Received by [email protected]
Aug. 12, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'vendor': 'Apache Software Foundation', 'product': 'Apache Airflow', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '3.3.1', 'versionType': 'semver'}], 'packageName': 'apache-airflow', 'collectionURL': 'https://pypi.python.org', 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}] Added Description Apache Airflow's XCom `GET /api/v2/{...}/xcomEntries/{key}?deserialize=true` endpoint passed a string-literal payload through `BaseXCom.deserialize_value` without the `_check_forbidden_xcom_keys` guard, allowing an authenticated API user with XCom write-and-read access to instantiate arbitrary `airflow.*` classes on the API server (CWE-502). An authenticated user who can write an XCom value and then read it back with `deserialize=true` triggers the unsafe instantiation. Users are advised to upgrade to apache-airflow 3.3.1 or later, which rejects reserved XCom serialization keys submitted as JSON string literals. Added CWE CWE-502 Added Reference https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/69378 Added Reference https://lists.apache.org/thread/dm0520yhh4mn7qknyoh45r2w6c5qg2mg