CVE-2021-45230Network attack vector

Unauthorized workflow execution via missing DAG edit check

Published Jan 20, 2022 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Improper privilege management in Apache Airflow before 2.2.0 allows remote authenticated users to create unauthorized DAG runs. The webserver's DAG-run creation path checks can_create on DAG Runs but does not enforce can_edit on the requested DAG. A valid account with DAG Runs can_create is required; successful exploitation initiates workflows for DAGs outside that account's authorized scope.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.71%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper privilege management in Apache Airflow before 2.2.0 allows remote authenticated users to create unauthorized DAG runs. The webserver's DAG-run creation path checks can_create on DAG Runs but does not enforce can_edit on the requested DAG. A valid account with DAG Runs can_create is required; successful exploitation initiates workflows for DAGs outside that account's authorized scope.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-45230
Published
Jan 20, 2022
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
The Apache Software Foundation
Product
Apache Airflow
Classifications
CWE-269, T1053
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 20, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=Apache Airflow 1.10 1.10.0 to 1.10.15
  2. Affected versionversion=Apache Airflow 2 <2.2.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Apache Software Foundation · Apache Airflowversion=Apache Airflow 1.10 1.10.0 to 1.10.15; version=Apache Airflow 2 <2.2.0

Published CVSS scores

4.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:N
6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1053Scheduled Task/Job

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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