How severe is CVE-2026-59242?

CVE-2026-59242 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.4, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability none.

Is CVE-2026-59242 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (46th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-59242?

CVE-2026-59242 affects Apache Airflow. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2026-59242?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2026-59242 published?

CVE-2026-59242 was published on 2026-08-12 and last updated on 2026-08-14.

CVE-2026-59242

CVE-2026-59242 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apache Airflow with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.4. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-502.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.4)
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (46th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-502
Affected product: Apache Airflow
Published: 2026-08-12
Last modified: 2026-08-14

Description

Apache Airflow's XCom `GET /api/v2/{...}/xcomEntries/{key}?deserialize=true` endpoint passed a string-literal payload through `BaseXCom.deserialize_value` without the `_check_forbidden_xcom_keys` guard, allowing an authenticated API user with XCom write-and-read access to instantiate arbitrary `airflow.*` classes on the API server (CWE-502). An authenticated user who can write an XCom value and then read it back with `deserialize=true` triggers the unsafe instantiation. Users are advised to upgrade to apache-airflow 3.3.1 or later, which rejects reserved XCom serialization keys submitted as JSON string literals.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-59242?: Apache Airflow's XCom `GET /api/v2/{...}/xcomEntries/{key}?deserialize=true` endpoint passed a string-literal payload through `BaseXCom.deserialize_value` without the `_check_forbidden_xcom_keys` guard, allowing an authenticated API user with XCom write-and-read access to instantiate arbitrary `airflow.*` classes on the API server (CWE-502). An authenticated user who can write an XCom value and then read it back with `deserialize=true` triggers the unsafe instantiation. Users are advised to upgrade to apache-airflow 3.3.1 or later, which rejects reserved XCom serialization keys submitted as JSON string literals.
How severe is CVE-2026-59242?: CVE-2026-59242 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.4, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability none.
Is CVE-2026-59242 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (46th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-59242?: CVE-2026-59242 affects Apache Airflow. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-59242?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2026-59242 published?: CVE-2026-59242 was published on 2026-08-12 and last updated on 2026-08-14.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:apache:airflow:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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