CVE-2024-56373: Apache Airflow RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-56373 Overview

CVE-2024-56373 is a code injection vulnerability in Apache Airflow that allows DAG Authors—users who already possess elevated permissions within the platform—to manipulate the Airflow database in a manner that enables arbitrary code execution within the web-server context. This unauthorized capability can lead to remote code execution (RCE) on the server side when another user views historical task information through the web interface.

The vulnerability specifically targets the log template history functionality in Apache Airflow 2, allowing attackers to abuse the trust placed in DAG Author roles to escalate their access beyond intended boundaries. The attack requires user interaction, as the malicious payload is triggered when a victim user views historical logs.

Critical Impact

DAG Authors can achieve remote code execution in the web-server context by manipulating database entries, potentially compromising the entire Airflow deployment and any connected systems.

Affected Products

• Apache Airflow versions prior to 2.11.1
• Apache Airflow 2.x series with log template history enabled
• Any Airflow deployment where DAG Authors have database manipulation capabilities

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-24 - CVE CVE-2024-56373 published to NVD
• 2026-02-24 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-56373

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability falls under CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code), commonly known as code injection. The flaw exists in how Apache Airflow handles log template history records within its database. A DAG Author, who inherently has significant permissions within the Airflow ecosystem including the ability to define and modify DAGs, can leverage these permissions to inject malicious content into database entries related to log templates.

When a user subsequently accesses historical task information through the Airflow web interface, the manipulated log template data is processed without adequate sanitization, resulting in arbitrary code execution within the web-server process context. This represents a privilege escalation scenario where a DAG Author can execute code with web-server privileges—capabilities they should not possess under normal operational boundaries.

The attack requires a network-accessible Airflow instance and depends on user interaction (viewing historical logs), but can be initiated by any authenticated user with DAG Author privileges. The scope of impact extends beyond the vulnerable component, as successful exploitation compromises the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the web-server context.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-56373 lies in insufficient input validation and sanitization of log template history entries stored in the Airflow database. The application trusts data written by DAG Authors without properly validating that the content conforms to expected formats before rendering it in the web-server context.

The log template history feature allows Airflow to maintain historical records of log configurations, but the implementation failed to account for the possibility that a privileged DAG Author might inject malicious code into these records. When the web-server retrieves and processes these templates to display historical task logs, it inadvertently executes the injected code.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2024-56373 involves the following exploitation chain:

1. An attacker must first have DAG Author privileges within the target Apache Airflow installation
2. The attacker manipulates the Airflow database to inject malicious code into log template history entries
3. When a victim user (potentially an administrator or another privileged user) navigates to view historical task information, the web-server processes the manipulated log template
4. The injected code executes within the web-server context, providing the attacker with server-side code execution capabilities

The vulnerability exploits the trust relationship between the database layer and the web presentation layer. By targeting historical log viewing functionality, attackers can achieve persistent exploitation that triggers whenever historical logs are accessed.

For technical details on the specific code changes addressing this vulnerability, refer to the GitHub Pull Request #61880.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-56373

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected or malformed entries in the Airflow log template history database tables
• Unusual database modification activities from DAG Author accounts targeting log-related tables
• Web-server process spawning unexpected child processes or making unusual network connections
• Error logs indicating code execution failures or unexpected behavior when rendering historical logs

Detection Strategies

• Monitor database audit logs for modifications to log template history tables by non-administrative accounts
• Implement application-level logging to track access patterns to historical task information pages
• Deploy web application firewalls (WAF) to detect anomalous server-side behavior following log view requests
• Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor the Airflow web-server process for code injection indicators

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive audit logging for all database operations within the Airflow deployment
• Configure alerts for unusual web-server process behavior including unexpected code execution patterns
• Implement user activity monitoring for DAG Author accounts with focus on database interaction patterns
• Establish baseline behavior for historical log viewing operations to detect anomalous access patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-56373

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Apache Airflow to version 2.11.1 or later where log template history functionality is disabled by default
• Migrate to Apache Airflow 3 if continued use of log template history functionality is required with proper security controls
• Review and audit all existing log template history entries in the database for suspicious content
• Restrict DAG Author permissions to the minimum necessary for operational requirements

Patch Information

Apache has addressed this vulnerability by disabling the log template history functionality by default in Airflow version 2.11.1. Users requiring this functionality should upgrade to Apache Airflow 3, which implements proper security controls for the feature.

The security patch and related changes can be reviewed in the GitHub Pull Request #61880. Additional details are available through the Apache Mailing List Thread.

Workarounds

• Disable log template history functionality manually in Airflow configurations if upgrade is not immediately possible
• Manually audit and sanitize historical log file names if access to historical logs generated before the last log template change is required
• Implement additional access controls to restrict who can view historical task information
• Consider network segmentation to limit the impact of potential web-server compromise

# Configuration example
# Upgrade Apache Airflow to patched version
pip install apache-airflow>=2.11.1

# Verify installed version
airflow version

# Review Airflow configuration for log template settings
grep -r "log_template" ${AIRFLOW_HOME}/airflow.cfg