Listen to this Post
The vulnerability in Apache Airflow arises from inadequate redaction of secret values within rendered templates accessible through the web UI. When tasks execute, they populate Jinja templates with variables, including sensitive data from connections, variables, or secrets managers. In affected versions, the redaction mechanism fails to properly mask these secret values when authenticated users view the “Rendered Template” page. This flaw exists in the UI’s template rendering logic, where secret placeholders are replaced with actual values instead of being obfuscated. Any authenticated user, regardless of specific permissions, can access task instances and trigger template rendering. The UI then displays the fully populated template, revealing secrets like passwords, API keys, or tokens. The issue stems from missing or incomplete redaction rules for certain template contexts or secret backends. Consequently, secrets intended for backend use only become visible in the frontend, bypassing authorization checks. This allows users with minimal access to escalate privileges or exfiltrate credentials. The exposure occurs through normal UI navigation without requiring special exploits, making it a significant information disclosure risk. Attackers can leverage this to compromise integrated systems and data pipelines.
Platform: Apache Airflow
Version: Before 3.1.4
Vulnerability: UI Secret Exposure
Severity: Moderate
Date: 15 Dec 2025
Prediction: Patched in 3.1.4
What Undercode Say:
airflow version pip list | grep airflow pip install --upgrade apache-airflow==3.1.4 grep -r "secret" airflow.cfg
Example to check redaction (hypothetical)
from airflow.secrets import get_redacted_value
print(get_redacted_value("my_secret"))
How Exploit:
Authenticated users access Airflow UI, navigate to task instance details, and click “Rendered Template” to view unredacted secrets displayed in the template HTML.
Protection from this CVE:
Upgrade to Airflow 3.1.4. Restrict UI access. Review audit logs.
Impact:
Secret disclosure, privilege escalation, system compromise.
🎯Let’s Practice Exploiting & Learn Patching For Free:
Sources:
Reported By: github.com
Extra Source Hub:
Undercode
