CVE-2026-66087 in DolphinScheduler
Summary
by MITRE • 10/08/2026
An authorization bypass vulnerability in Apache DolphinScheduler allows authenticated users to operate task instance in projects they are not authorized to access through the
* /dolphinscheduler/projects/{projectCode}/task-instances/{taskInstanceId}/stop
* /dolphinscheduler/projects/{projectCode}/task-instances/{taskInstanceId}/savepoint
This issue affects Apache DolphinScheduler: before 3.4.3.
Users are recommended to upgrade to version 3.4.3, which fixes the issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2026
Apache DolphinScheduler is a distributed and easy-to-extensible data orchestration platform designed for processing large-scale data tasks in real-time. It provides features such as workflow scheduling, resource management, and monitoring capabilities that are critical for modern big data infrastructure. The software allows users to define complex workflows composed of multiple task instances, which can include SQL queries, shell scripts, or other executable commands. Access control within the platform is typically managed through a role-based access control model where projects serve as logical containers for resources and tasks, ensuring that only authorized personnel can interact with specific data pipelines.
A critical authorization bypass vulnerability has been identified in Apache DolphinScheduler versions prior to 3.4.3. This flaw resides in the API endpoints responsible for managing task instance states, specifically those used to stop a running task or create a savepoint. The affected endpoints are /dolphinscheduler/projects/{projectCode}/task-instances/{taskInstanceId}/stop and /dolphinscheduler/projects/{projectCode}/task-instances/{taskInstanceId}/savepoint. While the API requires authentication, it fails to perform adequate authorization checks on the project code provided in the URL path against the permissions of the authenticated user making the request. This means that if an attacker knows or can guess a valid task instance ID and its associated project code, they can manipulate tasks belonging to other projects without having any permission for those specific resources.
The technical nature of this vulnerability is classified as Broken Access Control, which corresponds to CWE-284 in the Common Weakness Enumeration standard. The root cause lies in the server-side logic that processes these API calls. Instead of verifying whether the authenticated user has administrative or operational rights over the project identified by {projectCode}, the system trusts the input provided in the request path. This lack of object-level permission validation allows an attacker to escalate their effective privileges within the application context. By exploiting this flaw, a low-privileged user can perform actions reserved for higher-privilege roles, such as stopping critical production jobs or creating savepoints that might interfere with data integrity and workflow continuity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant in environments where multiple teams share a single DolphinScheduler instance. An attacker could disrupt business-critical workflows by forcibly stopping task instances belonging to other projects, leading to service outages, delayed reporting, or failed ETL processes. Furthermore, the ability to create savepoints on unauthorized tasks could allow an attacker to manipulate the state of long-running jobs, potentially causing data inconsistencies or requiring manual intervention from system administrators to resolve stuck states. In a multi-tenant environment, this breach undermines the isolation guarantees provided by project boundaries and exposes sensitive operational metadata to unauthorized parties.
This vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1078, Valid Accounts, as it involves an attacker using legitimate credentials but abusing their access level through improper authorization checks rather than credential theft or privilege escalation exploits like buffer overflows. It also relates to the broader category of insecure direct object references where the application uses user-supplied input to access objects directly without proper validation against the current session's permissions. The severity is heightened by the fact that it affects core operational functions, making it a high-risk issue for organizations relying on DolphinScheduler for mission-critical data processing pipelines.
To mitigate this risk, users are strongly advised to upgrade Apache DolphinScheduler to version 3.4.3 or later immediately upon availability. This release includes patches that enforce strict authorization checks on the project code relative to the authenticated user's permissions before executing any task instance modifications. In addition to upgrading, organizations should implement network-level access controls and API gateways that can monitor for anomalous patterns of request behavior, such as frequent attempts to access resources outside expected boundaries. Regular security audits and penetration testing focused on authorization logic are also recommended to ensure that similar flaws do not exist in other parts of the application stack.