CVE-2026-45360: Apache Airflow: Arbitrary import in custom deadline-reference deserialization
Apache Airflow's scheduler-side deadline-reference decoder (SerializedCustomReference.deserializereference) imported and dispatched arbitrary class paths drawn from DAG-author-controlled serialized state without an allowlist or plugin-registry gate. A DAG author whose code reaches the scheduler — the default on single-host deployments where the DAG bundle is importable from the scheduler process — could embed a custom DeadlineReference whose serialized form named an attacker-controlled module path, causing the scheduler to importstring(...) and instantiate that class with a live SQLAlchemy session attached. Affects deployments where DAG-author code is less trusted than the scheduler process. Users are advised to upgrade to apache-airflow 3.2.2 or later.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
apache-airflowto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 3.2.2 - Upgrade
Upgrade to a fixed release to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Patch CVE-2026-45360
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-45360?
The severity of CVE-2026-45360 is rated high with a CVSS score of 7.3.
How do I fix CVE-2026-45360?
To fix CVE-2026-45360, you should apply the available patch provided by Apache Airflow.
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-45360?
CVE-2026-45360 is an arbitrary import vulnerability found in the scheduler-side deadline-reference deserialization of Apache Airflow.
What are the implications of CVE-2026-45360?
The implications of CVE-2026-45360 include potential remote code execution risks due to arbitrary class paths being imported.
Which software is affected by CVE-2026-45360?
The software affected by CVE-2026-45360 is Apache Airflow.