HIGH CVSS 7.3
Published: 2026-06-01

CVE-2026-45360

apache airflow Security Advisory (CVE-2026-45360)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2026-45360 impacting apache airflow. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 7.3 (HIGH).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
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 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
Low (C:L)
Partial information leakage
Integrity
Low (I:L)
Partial data modification possible
Availability
Low (A:L)
Partial service performance degradation

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product apache / airflow
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-502

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2026-45360 impacting apache airflow.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2026-45360.yaml
id: cve-2026-45360

info:
  name: apache airflow - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: high
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2026-45360 affecting apache airflow.
    Evaluation: Apache Airflow's scheduler-side deadline-reference decoder (`SerializedCustomReference.deserialize_reference`) imported and dispatched arbitrary ...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2026-45360
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
    cvss-score: 7.3
    cve-id: CVE-2026-45360
    cwe-id: CWE-502
  tags: cve,cve-2026-45360,apache,airflow,high

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "airflow"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2026-45360.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2026-45360
# Target: apache airflow | CVSS: 7.3 (HIGH)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2026-45360 (apache airflow)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against apache airflow scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2026-45360.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2026-45360
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install airflow 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade airflow 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update airflow

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i airflow 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i airflow

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

🔗 Verified Technical References

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2026-45360 in apache airflow?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update apache airflow packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2026-45360?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2026-45360?

CVE-2026-45360 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 7.3 (HIGH). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
7.3
HIGH SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2026-45360
Weakness CWE-502
Vendor apache
Product airflow
Published 2026-06-01
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L