CVE-2024-26280 in Airflow
Summary
by MITRE • 03/01/2024
Apache Airflow, versions before 2.8.2, has a vulnerability that allows authenticated Ops and Viewers users to view all information on audit logs, including dag names and usernames they were not permitted to view. With 2.8.2 and newer, Ops and Viewer users do not have audit log permission by default, they need to be explicitly granted permissions to see the logs. Only admin users have audit log permission by default.
Users of Apache Airflow are recommended to upgrade to version 2.8.2 or newer to mitigate the risk associated with this vulnerability
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/01/2024
Apache Airflow version 2.8.2 and earlier contains a critical authorization flaw that allows authenticated users with Ops or Viewer roles to access audit logs containing sensitive information including DAG names and usernames without proper authorization. This vulnerability represents a significant breakout in the principle of least privilege that governs access control systems. The flaw stems from improper access control implementation where the system fails to enforce role-based restrictions on audit log visibility, creating a path for unauthorized information disclosure. According to CWE-284, this vulnerability falls under improper access control, specifically where actors with insufficient privileges can access resources they should not be able to reach. The issue directly impacts the integrity of the system's security model by allowing unauthorized access to audit trails that should be restricted to administrative personnel only.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows authenticated users with minimal privileges to bypass normal access controls through the audit log interface. These users can view detailed information about DAG execution history, including user credentials, DAG names, and execution details that should remain confidential to authorized administrators. This unauthorized access to audit logs creates a significant risk of information disclosure that could enable attackers to map system workflows, identify potential attack vectors, and gather intelligence about system operations. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires only authentication to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by insiders or compromised accounts. From an ATT&CK perspective, this represents a privilege escalation and credential access technique where adversaries can expand their knowledge of the system without requiring elevated privileges. The flaw exists in the permission model implementation where audit log access was not properly restricted to administrative roles.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks. Attackers with access to audit logs can identify successful login patterns, track user activities, and understand system behavior to plan further exploitation. The exposure of DAG names and execution details provides attackers with valuable intelligence about system processes and workflows that could be targeted in subsequent attacks. Organizations using affected versions of Airflow face potential compliance violations, as audit logs typically contain sensitive operational data that should remain protected. The vulnerability also undermines the security posture by allowing unauthorized users to discover system configurations and operational details that should remain confidential. This creates a risk of lateral movement within the system as attackers can use the discovered information to target other system components or identify additional attack surfaces.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Apache Airflow version 2.8.2 or later to remediate this vulnerability, as this update implements proper access controls that restrict audit log visibility to administrative users only. The upgrade process should include thorough testing to ensure existing workflows remain functional while implementing the new permission model. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive audits of current access controls to verify that audit log permissions have been properly restricted. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to limit access to Airflow interfaces, enabling multi-factor authentication for all users, and establishing monitoring for unusual audit log access patterns. Organizations should review their current user permissions and ensure that only authorized administrative personnel have access to sensitive audit information. The fix addresses the core issue by implementing default deny policies for audit log access, aligning with security best practices that require explicit permission grants rather than implicit access. This vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security updates and proper access control implementation in enterprise workflow management systems.