Vulnerability · CVE-2020-13927
Apache Airflow's Experimental API Authentication Bypass
Published Nov 10, 2020 · catalog updated Jun 16, 2026 · Apache Airflow
Patch now
CVE-2020-13927 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due Jul 18, 2022. Confirm Apache Airflow against the vendor advisory and apply that fix. The CVSS score does not change the priority.
Gaps on this record
- No version range is stored. A customer cannot check an installed version against this record.
- Severity
- Critical9.8
- Known exploitation
- CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV
- EPSS
- 99.78%
- Remediation
- Remediation guidance
- Affected products
- cpe apache/airflow · vendor Apache Airflow · vendor Apache Airflow's Experimental API
The previous default setting for Airflow's Experimental API was to allow all API requests without authentication, but this poses security risks to users who miss this fact. From Airflow 1.10.11 the default has been changed to deny all requests by default and is documented at https://airflow.apache.org/docs/1.10.11/security.html#api-authentication. Note this change fixes it for new installs but existing users need to change their config to default as mentioned in the Updating Guide: https://github.com/apache/airflow/blob/1.10.11/UPDATING.md#experimental-api-will-deny-all-request-by-default
Are you affected?
Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.
The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.
- cpe apache/airflowversion unspecified
- vendor Apache Airflowversion unspecified
- vendor Apache Airflow's Experimental APIversion unspecified
How to fix CVE-2020-13927
Recommended remediation
Apply updates per vendor instructions. CISA due date Jul 18, 2022.
Official advisories
What to do
Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.
Should you patch?
CVE-2020-13927 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due Jul 18, 2022. Confirm Apache Airflow against the vendor advisory and apply that fix. The CVSS score does not change the priority.
Which versions are affected?
Affected version ranges are not on this record. Apply updates per vendor instructions.
What should an analyst verify?
CWE-1056; CWE-1188; CWE-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function. EPSS 99.78%. The CISA KEV listing is the exploitation evidence. A public exploit reference is linked in Sources. That is not the same as confirmed exploitation. Use the source links for the original advisory.
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.
Nov 10, 2020 · Catalog
Detected
The previous default setting for Airflow's Experimental API was to allow all API requests without authentication, but this poses security risks to users who miss this fact. From Airflow 1.10.11 the default has been changed to deny all requests by default and is documented at https://airflow.apache.org/docs/1.10.11/security.html#api-authentication. Note this change fixes it for new installs but exi
Jan 18, 2022 · CISA KEV
Known exploited
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Jul 18, 2022 · CISA KEV
Remediation due
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Jun 16, 2026 · Catalog
Updated
The previous default setting for Airflow's Experimental API was to allow all API requests without authentication, but this poses security risks to users who miss this fact. From Airflow 1.10.11 the default has been changed to deny all requests by default and is documented at https://airflow.apache.org/docs/1.10.11/security.html#api-authentication. Note this change fixes it for new installs but exi
Sources
- CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2020-13927
The previous default setting for Airflow's Experimental API was to allow all API requests without authentication.
cisa.gov - CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2020-13927
Official CVE identifier
cve.org - FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2020-13927
30-day exploitation probability 99.8%
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-2020-13927
The previous default setting for Airflow's Experimental API was to allow all API requests without authentication, but this poses security risks to users who miss this fact. From Airflow 1.10.11 the default has been changed to deny all requests by default and is documented at http
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 - VulnCheck KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2020-13927
The previous default setting for Airflow's Experimental API was to allow all API requests without authentication.
vulncheck.com
References
Freshness
Last verified in this catalog Oct 17, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.