CVE-2021-38540 (GCVE-0-2021-38540)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2021-09-09 15:05 – Updated: 2024-08-04 01:44
VLAI
Title
Apache Airflow: Variable Import endpoint missed authentication check
Summary
The variable import endpoint was not protected by authentication in Airflow >=2.0.0, <2.1.3. This allowed unauthenticated users to hit that endpoint to add/modify Airflow variables used in DAGs, potentially resulting in a denial of service, information disclosure or remote code execution. This issue affects Apache Airflow >=2.0.0, <2.1.3.
CWE
  • CWE-269 - Improper Privilege Management
Assigner
apache CNA under the mitre root
CNA scorecard B 76/100 over 1258 records in the last 180 days details
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
Apache Software Foundation Apache Airflow Affected: Apache Airflow , < 2.1.3 (custom)
guessed Create a notification for this product.
Show details on NVD website

{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2024-08-04T01:44:23.448Z",
          "orgId": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
          "shortName": "CVE"
        },
        "references": [
          {
            "tags": [
              "x_refsource_MISC",
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rb34c3dd1a815456355217eef34060789f771b6f77c3a3dec77de2064%40%3Cusers.airflow.apache.org%3E"
          },
          {
            "name": "[announce] 20210909 CVE-2021-38540: Apache Airflow: Variable Import endpoint missed authentication check",
            "tags": [
              "mailing-list",
              "x_refsource_MLIST",
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rac2ed9118f64733e47b4f1e82ddc8c8020774698f13328ca742b03a2%40%3Cannounce.apache.org%3E"
          }
        ],
        "title": "CVE Program Container"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "product": "Apache Airflow",
          "vendor": "Apache Software Foundation",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "2.1.3",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "Apache Airflow",
              "versionType": "custom"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "credits": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "Apache Airflow would like to thank Nathan Jones, National Australia Bank\u2019s Offensive Security Team"
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "The variable import endpoint was not protected by authentication in Airflow \u003e=2.0.0, \u003c2.1.3. This allowed unauthenticated users to hit that endpoint to add/modify Airflow variables used in DAGs, potentially resulting in a denial of service, information disclosure or remote code execution. This issue affects Apache Airflow \u003e=2.0.0, \u003c2.1.3."
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-269",
              "description": "CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2021-09-09T19:06:12.000Z",
        "orgId": "f0158376-9dc2-43b6-827c-5f631a4d8d09",
        "shortName": "apache"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rb34c3dd1a815456355217eef34060789f771b6f77c3a3dec77de2064%40%3Cusers.airflow.apache.org%3E"
        },
        {
          "name": "[announce] 20210909 CVE-2021-38540: Apache Airflow: Variable Import endpoint missed authentication check",
          "tags": [
            "mailing-list",
            "x_refsource_MLIST"
          ],
          "url": "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rac2ed9118f64733e47b4f1e82ddc8c8020774698f13328ca742b03a2%40%3Cannounce.apache.org%3E"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "discovery": "UNKNOWN"
      },
      "title": "Apache Airflow: Variable Import endpoint missed authentication check",
      "workarounds": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "Upgrade to Apache Airflow \u003e=2.1.3"
        }
      ],
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "Vulnogram 0.0.9"
      },
      "x_legacyV4Record": {
        "CVE_data_meta": {
          "ASSIGNER": "security@apache.org",
          "ID": "CVE-2021-38540",
          "STATE": "PUBLIC",
          "TITLE": "Apache Airflow: Variable Import endpoint missed authentication check"
        },
        "affects": {
          "vendor": {
            "vendor_data": [
              {
                "product": {
                  "product_data": [
                    {
                      "product_name": "Apache Airflow",
                      "version": {
                        "version_data": [
                          {
                            "version_affected": "\u003c",
                            "version_name": "Apache Airflow",
                            "version_value": "2.1.3"
                          }
                        ]
                      }
                    }
                  ]
                },
                "vendor_name": "Apache Software Foundation"
              }
            ]
          }
        },
        "credit": [
          {
            "lang": "eng",
            "value": "Apache Airflow would like to thank Nathan Jones, National Australia Bank\u2019s Offensive Security Team"
          }
        ],
        "data_format": "MITRE",
        "data_type": "CVE",
        "data_version": "4.0",
        "description": {
          "description_data": [
            {
              "lang": "eng",
              "value": "The variable import endpoint was not protected by authentication in Airflow \u003e=2.0.0, \u003c2.1.3. This allowed unauthenticated users to hit that endpoint to add/modify Airflow variables used in DAGs, potentially resulting in a denial of service, information disclosure or remote code execution. This issue affects Apache Airflow \u003e=2.0.0, \u003c2.1.3."
            }
          ]
        },
        "generator": {
          "engine": "Vulnogram 0.0.9"
        },
        "impact": [
          {}
        ],
        "problemtype": {
          "problemtype_data": [
            {
              "description": [
                {
                  "lang": "eng",
                  "value": "CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management"
                }
              ]
            }
          ]
        },
        "references": {
          "reference_data": [
            {
              "name": "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rb34c3dd1a815456355217eef34060789f771b6f77c3a3dec77de2064%40%3Cusers.airflow.apache.org%3E",
              "refsource": "MISC",
              "url": "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rb34c3dd1a815456355217eef34060789f771b6f77c3a3dec77de2064%40%3Cusers.airflow.apache.org%3E"
            },
            {
              "name": "[announce] 20210909 CVE-2021-38540: Apache Airflow: Variable Import endpoint missed authentication check",
              "refsource": "MLIST",
              "url": "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rac2ed9118f64733e47b4f1e82ddc8c8020774698f13328ca742b03a2@%3Cannounce.apache.org%3E"
            }
          ]
        },
        "source": {
          "discovery": "UNKNOWN"
        },
        "work_around": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "value": "Upgrade to Apache Airflow \u003e=2.1.3"
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "f0158376-9dc2-43b6-827c-5f631a4d8d09",
    "assignerShortName": "apache",
    "cveId": "CVE-2021-38540",
    "datePublished": "2021-09-09T15:05:09.000Z",
    "dateReserved": "2021-08-11T00:00:00.000Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2024-08-04T01:44:23.448Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.1",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "epss": {
      "cve": "CVE-2021-38540",
      "date": "2026-11-10",
      "epss": "0.80938",
      "percentile": "0.99634"
    },
    "nvd": {
      "cve": {
        "configurations": [
          {
            "nodes": [
              {
                "cpeMatch": [
                  {
                    "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:apache:airflow:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                    "matchCriteriaId": "8DA42686-DCA0-45F1-8AB6-E56F0C9EF0C0",
                    "versionEndExcluding": "2.1.3",
                    "versionStartIncluding": "2.0.0",
                    "vulnerable": true
                  }
                ],
                "negate": false,
                "operator": "OR"
              }
            ]
          }
        ],
        "cveTags": [],
        "descriptions": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "value": "The variable import endpoint was not protected by authentication in Airflow \u003e=2.0.0, \u003c2.1.3. This allowed unauthenticated users to hit that endpoint to add/modify Airflow variables used in DAGs, potentially resulting in a denial of service, information disclosure or remote code execution. This issue affects Apache Airflow \u003e=2.0.0, \u003c2.1.3."
          },
          {
            "lang": "es",
            "value": "El endpoint de importaci\u00f3n de variables no estaba protegido por autenticaci\u00f3n en Airflow versiones posteriores a 2.0.0 incluy\u00e9ndola, versiones anteriores a 2.1.3. Esto permit\u00eda a usuarios no autenticados acceder a ese endpoint para a\u00f1adir y modificar las variables de Airflow usadas en los DAG, resultando en una denegaci\u00f3n de servicio, una divulgaci\u00f3n de informaci\u00f3n o una ejecuci\u00f3n de c\u00f3digo remota. Este problema afecta a Apache Airflow versiones posteriores a 2.0.0 incluy\u00e9ndola, versiones anteriores a 2.1.3"
          }
        ],
        "id": "CVE-2021-38540",
        "lastModified": "2024-11-21T06:17:23.360",
        "metrics": {
          "cvssMetricV2": [
            {
              "acInsufInfo": false,
              "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
              "cvssData": {
                "accessComplexity": "LOW",
                "accessVector": "NETWORK",
                "authentication": "NONE",
                "availabilityImpact": "PARTIAL",
                "baseScore": 7.5,
                "confidentialityImpact": "PARTIAL",
                "integrityImpact": "PARTIAL",
                "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P",
                "version": "2.0"
              },
              "exploitabilityScore": 10.0,
              "impactScore": 6.4,
              "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
              "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
              "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
              "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
              "type": "Primary",
              "userInteractionRequired": false
            }
          ],
          "cvssMetricV31": [
            {
              "cvssData": {
                "attackComplexity": "LOW",
                "attackVector": "NETWORK",
                "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
                "baseScore": 9.8,
                "baseSeverity": "CRITICAL",
                "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
                "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
                "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
                "scope": "UNCHANGED",
                "userInteraction": "NONE",
                "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
                "version": "3.1"
              },
              "exploitabilityScore": 3.9,
              "impactScore": 5.9,
              "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
              "type": "Primary"
            }
          ]
        },
        "published": "2021-09-09T15:15:09.170",
        "references": [
          {
            "source": "security@apache.org",
            "url": "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rac2ed9118f64733e47b4f1e82ddc8c8020774698f13328ca742b03a2%40%3Cannounce.apache.org%3E"
          },
          {
            "source": "security@apache.org",
            "tags": [
              "Mailing List",
              "Vendor Advisory"
            ],
            "url": "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rb34c3dd1a815456355217eef34060789f771b6f77c3a3dec77de2064%40%3Cusers.airflow.apache.org%3E"
          },
          {
            "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
            "url": "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rac2ed9118f64733e47b4f1e82ddc8c8020774698f13328ca742b03a2%40%3Cannounce.apache.org%3E"
          },
          {
            "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
            "tags": [
              "Mailing List",
              "Vendor Advisory"
            ],
            "url": "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rb34c3dd1a815456355217eef34060789f771b6f77c3a3dec77de2064%40%3Cusers.airflow.apache.org%3E"
          }
        ],
        "sourceIdentifier": "security@apache.org",
        "vulnStatus": "Modified",
        "weaknesses": [
          {
            "description": [
              {
                "lang": "en",
                "value": "CWE-269"
              }
            ],
            "source": "security@apache.org",
            "type": "Secondary"
          },
          {
            "description": [
              {
                "lang": "en",
                "value": "CWE-306"
              }
            ],
            "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
            "type": "Primary"
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    "redhat_vex": {
      "current_release_date": "2026-03-27T13:42:10+00:00",
      "cve": "CVE-2021-38540",
      "id": "CVE-2021-38540",
      "initial_release_date": "2021-01-01T00:00:00+00:00",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "1",
      "source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "Apache Airflow: Variable Import endpoint missed authentication check",
      "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2021/cve-2021-38540.json",
      "version": "3"
    }
  }
}



Log in or create an account to share your comment.




Tags
Taxonomy of the tags.


Loading…

Loading…

Loading…

Drag nodes to arrange them. Double-click a related vulnerability to open it, or a source to visit its link. The Physics button on the left tunes the layout and the simulation; the legend at the bottom left hides or shows nodes by kind and by sighting type.

Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

Author Source Type Date Other

Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Vulnerability timeline

Sightings and recorded dates, grouped by day · UTC

JSON
How durations are calculated

Following the VTEM framework (Black Hat USA 2015), time to patch starts when the vendor or a coordinator was informed, total time to patch at discovery, and disclosure to patch at public disclosure; vendor response time runs from the report to its acknowledgement. Time to exploit and time unpatched start at the earliest discovery or report, falling back to public disclosure. Unpatched time ends at the first recorded patch, or the calculation time when no patch is recorded. Exploitation to patch shows the interval between those two events; a published proof of concept is a public exploit, not exploitation.

Each result shows its source dates. A negative interval means the end event came first; when date-only inputs leave the order open, the result says so. Date-only inputs are approximate. The earliest evidence wins: KEV report dates and sightings are labelled as such. Records describing another vulnerability are listed but never calculated from, and a PoC alone does not establish exploitation. Missing patch evidence does not prove that no patch exists. Filters below change the event list only.

Events included in the timeline

Loading timeline…


    Loading…

    Loading…

    Loading…

    Related by attack behaviour

    Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.