CVE-2023-50783Network attack vector

Authenticated variable overwrite via creation-only varimport authorization

Published Dec 21, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Improper access control in Apache Airflow before 2.8.0 allows remote authenticated users to overwrite variables through varimport. The web handler authorizes only variable creation, then passes every key from an uploaded JSON object to Variable.set, including keys that already exist. Any authenticated role with variable-create permission can therefore replace stored variable values without variable-edit permission, altering data consumed by workflows.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Improper access control in Apache Airflow before 2.8.0 allows remote authenticated users to overwrite variables through varimport. The web handler authorizes only variable creation, then passes every key from an uploaded JSON object to Variable.set, including keys that already exist. Any authenticated role with variable-create permission can therefore replace stored variable values without variable-edit permission, altering data consumed by workflows.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-50783
Published
Dec 21, 2023
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
The Apache Software Foundation
Product
Apache Airflow
Classifications
CWE-284, T1565.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 21, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <2.8.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Apache Software Foundation · Apache Airflowversion=0 <2.8.0

Published CVSS scores

6.5GitHubCVSS: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-284Improper Access Control
T1565.001Stored Data Manipulation

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo