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NVD / CVE Program· CNA apache

CVE-2020-17526: Incorrect Session Validation in Apache Airflow Webserver versions prior to 1.10.14 with default config allows a malicious airflow user on si

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 37/100)

  • A ready-made attack module is public (Nuclei); exploiting it takes no special expertise.
  • Public proof-of-concept code exists (Exploit-DB / GitHub); there is no record of exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 23.8% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 97.8% of all records.
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: apache-airflow (PyPI) 1.10.14.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to apache-airflow (PyPI) 1.10.14 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

Incorrect Session Validation in Apache Airflow Webserver versions prior to 1.10.14 with default config allows a malicious airflow user on site A where they log in normally, to access unauthorized Airflow Webserver on Site B through the session from Site A. This does not affect users who have changed the default value for `[webserver] secret_key` config.

HighCVSS 7.7 · v3.1—Proof of concept Fix available
Published
Dec 21, 2020
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
23.8% · 97th percentile
CWE
—

Report tools

JSON

Action score

37

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
30 / 40 · 7.7 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
7 / 30 · 23.8%

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • Proof of concept exists, no weaponized module
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

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When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
apacheairflow

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • apache airflowbefore 1.10.14

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (apache). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Apache Software Foundation Apache Airflow

    • Apache Airflow and later · before 1.10.14affected

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
PyPIapache-airflowbefore 1.10.141.10.14

Same product

apache: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2020-13927The previous default setting for Airflow's Experimental API was to allow all API requests without authentication, but this poses security riKEV
    99Now
  • CVE-2020-11978An issue was found in Apache Airflow versions 1.10.10 and below.KEV
    95Now
  • CVE-2021-38540Apache Airflow: Variable Import endpoint missed authentication check
    63This week

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2020-17511Dec 14, 2020 · In Airflow versions prior to 1.10.13, when creating a user using airflow CLI, the password gets logged in plain text in the Log table in Air
    27Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2020-17513Dec 14, 2020 · In Apache Airflow versions prior to 1.10.13, the Charts and Query View of the old (Flask-admin based) UI were vulnerable for SSRF attack.
    22Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2021-26559Feb 17, 2021 · CWE-284 Improper Access Control on Configurations Endpoint for the Stable API
    27Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
PyPI:apache-airflow1.10.14Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

Proof of concept available

A public proof of concept or detection signature exists. Exploit knowledge is out there; don't delay patching.

Evidence

  • Nuclei detection template ×1

Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.

Public exploit evidence
SourceKindDate
Nuclei detection templateNuclei template CVE-2020-17526 —

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
none
Availability
none

Impact can extend beyond the vulnerable component (scope changes).

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
None

Weakness class (CWE)

—

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (2 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records