CVE-2026-45360

Description

Apache Airflow's scheduler-side deadline-reference decoder (`SerializedCustomReference.deserialize_reference`) imported and dispatched arbitrary class paths drawn from DAG-author-controlled serialized state without an allowlist or plugin-registry gate. A DAG author whose code reaches the scheduler — the default on single-host deployments where the DAG bundle is importable from the scheduler process — could embed a custom `DeadlineReference` whose serialized form named an attacker-controlled module path, causing the scheduler to `import_string(...)` and instantiate that class with a live SQLAlchemy session attached. Affects deployments where DAG-author code is less trusted than the scheduler process. Users are advised to upgrade to `apache-airflow` 3.2.2 or later.

CVSS v3.1 Score

7.3

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0065

Probability of exploitation

0.47%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-502 Deserialization of Untrusted Data

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
apache	airflow	< 3.2.2

References

Advisories & Patches

https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/66737 https://lists.apache.org/thread/q227dghjwgfz8xsxrf2pwpz4wk43zm83

Other References

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/31/12

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-45360? +

Apache Airflow's scheduler-side deadline-reference decoder (`SerializedCustomReference.deserialize_reference`) imported and dispatched arbitrary class paths drawn from DAG-author-controlled serialized state without an allowlist or plugin-registry gate. A DAG author whose code reaches the scheduler — the default on single-host deployments where the DAG bundle is importable from the scheduler process — could embed a custom `DeadlineReference` whose serialized form named an attacker-controlled module path, causing the scheduler to `import_string(...)` and instantiate that class with a live SQLAlchemy session attached. Affects deployments where DAG-author code is less trusted than the scheduler process. Users are advised to upgrade to `apache-airflow` 3.2.2 or later. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.3 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2026-45360? +

CVE-2026-45360 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.3 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching. The EPSS score is 0.0065, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-45360? +

CVE-2026-45360 affects products from apache, specifically: airflow. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-45360? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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