CVE-2026-45360

What it is

Apache Airflow's scheduler-side deadline-reference decoder (`SerializedCustomReference.deserialize_reference`) 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 `import_string(...)` 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.

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited over the network without logging in. Limited direct impact.

Exploit odds

0.7% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.

Timeline

1. 2026-06-01 09:16 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-11-03 07:20 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Details

Published

2026-06-01 09:16 UTC

Last modified

2026-11-03 07:20 UTC

Exploit probability

0.7% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-502 · Unsafe deserialization

Record status

Analyzed

Affected

• Apache Airflow < 3.2.2

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 7.3

Attack vector

Network

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

None

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

Low

Integrity

Low

Availability

Low