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Findings

CVE-2020-11978

Apache Airflow Command Injection

Published Jul 16, 2020 · updated Jun 16, 2026 · apache airflow

An issue was found in Apache Airflow versions 1.10.10 and below. A remote code/command injection vulnerability was discovered in one of the example DAGs shipped with Airflow which would allow any authenticated user to run arbitrary commands as the user running airflow worker/scheduler (depending on the executor in use). If you already have examples disabled by setting load_examples=False in the config then you are not vulnerable.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

No public source repository is identified for this product.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Jul 16, 2020 · Catalog

    Detected

    An issue was found in Apache Airflow versions 1.10.10 and below. A remote code/command injection vulnerability was discovered in one of the example DAGs shipped with Airflow which would allow any authenticated user to run arbitrary commands as the user running airflow worker/scheduler (depending on the executor in use). If you already have examples disabled by setting load_examples=False in the co

  2. Jan 18, 2022 · CISA KEV

    Known exploited

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  3. Jul 18, 2022 · CISA KEV

    Remediation due

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  4. Jun 16, 2026 · Catalog

    Updated

    An issue was found in Apache Airflow versions 1.10.10 and below. A remote code/command injection vulnerability was discovered in one of the example DAGs shipped with Airflow which would allow any authenticated user to run arbitrary commands as the user running airflow worker/scheduler (depending on the executor in use). If you already have examples disabled by setting load_examples=False in the co

Required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

CISA due date Jul 18, 2022

Affected

  • cpe apache/airflowversion unspecified
  • vendor Apache Airflowversion unspecified

Sources

  • CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2020-11978

    A remote code/command injection vulnerability was discovered in one of the example DAGs shipped with Airflow.

    cisa.gov
  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2020-11978

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2020-11978

    30-day exploitation probability 99.2%

    first.org
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference49927

    Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

    exploit-db.com
  • Metasploit ModulesPublic exploit moduleexploit_linux/http/apache_airflow_dag_rce

    Public module reference (excellent). Module source is not copied into this catalog.

    rapid7.com
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2020-11978

    An issue was found in Apache Airflow versions 1.10.10 and below. A remote code/command injection vulnerability was discovered in one of the example DAGs shipped with Airflow which would allow any authenticated user to run arbitrary commands as the user running airflow worker/sche

    nvd.nist.gov
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162908/Apache-Airflow-1.10.10-Remote-Code-Execution.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174764/Apache-Airflow-1.10.10-Remote-Code-Execution.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com

References