CVE-2026-42358

Apache Airflow: Variable masker depth-limit bypass returns cleartext nested secrets

Published Jun 1, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 6.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
A bug in Apache Airflow's Variable response masker caused nested-key redaction (triggered by secret-suffixed key names like `password`, `token`, `secret`, `api_key`) to be bypassed when the JSON value's nesting depth exceeded the shared secrets masker's recursion limit: the masker returned the original nested item before checking the sensitive key name. An authenticated UI/API user with Variable read permission could harvest plaintext secret values stored under sensitive keys nested deep enough to exceed the masker's depth cap. Affects deployments that store sensitive values inside deeply-nested JSON Variables. This is a residual gap in the fix for CVE-2026-32690 (which covered shallower nesting via `max_depth=1`); the depth-limit boundary itself was not raised, so the same key-name bypass pattern reappears beyond the recursion cap. Users who already upgraded for CVE-2026-32690 should additionally upgrade to `apache-airflow` 3.2.2 or later to cover the deep-nesting path.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-33g2-gx67-c2h3 Apache Airflow Vulnerable to Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:apache:airflow:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Apache
Apache airflow
Vendors & Products Apache
Apache airflow
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A bug in Apache Airflow's Variable response masker caused nested-key redaction (triggered by secret-suffixed key names like `password`, `token`, `secret`, `api_key`) to be bypassed when the JSON value's nesting depth exceeded the shared secrets masker's recursion limit: the masker returned the original nested item before checking the sensitive key name. An authenticated UI/API user with Variable read permission could harvest plaintext secret values stored under sensitive keys nested deep enough to exceed the masker's depth cap. Affects deployments that store sensitive values inside deeply-nested JSON Variables. This is a residual gap in the fix for CVE-2026-32690 (which covered shallower nesting via `max_depth=1`); the depth-limit boundary itself was not raised, so the same key-name bypass pattern reappears beyond the recursion cap. Users who already upgraded for CVE-2026-32690 should additionally upgrade to `apache-airflow` 3.2.2 or later to cover the deep-nesting path.
Title Apache Airflow: Variable masker depth-limit bypass returns cleartext nested secrets
Weaknesses CWE-200
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
apache
Published
Updated
Nov 3, 2026, 6:56 AM
Reserved
Apr 26, 2026, 5:13 PM
Status
Modified
Published
Jun 1, 2026, 9:16 AM
Modified
Nov 3, 2026, 7:20 AM