CVE-2025-62503
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows authenticated users with CREATE privilege but no UPDATE privilege for Pools, Connections, and Variables to modify existing records through the bulk create API with overwrite action. This affects Apache Airflow installations where users have been granted CREATE privileges without corresponding UPDATE permissions. The issue represents a privilege escalation vulnerability within the authorization system.
💻 Affected Systems
- Apache Airflow
📦 What is this software?
Airflow by Apache
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
An authenticated user could modify critical system configurations like database connections, variable values, or pool settings, potentially leading to data exposure, service disruption, or unauthorized access to external systems.
Likely Case
Users with limited privileges could escalate their access by modifying existing configurations they shouldn't have access to, potentially gaining unauthorized control over workflows or accessing sensitive data.
If Mitigated
With proper privilege separation and monitoring, the impact is limited to users who already have some level of access, but they could still exceed their intended permissions.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated access with CREATE privileges and knowledge of the bulk create API endpoint with overwrite parameter.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Apache Airflow 2.10.4
Vendor Advisory: https://lists.apache.org/thread/3v58249qscyn1hg240gh8hqg9pb4okcr
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Upgrade to Apache Airflow 2.10.4 or later. 2. Update your deployment using your preferred method (pip, Docker, etc.). 3. Verify the upgrade completed successfully. 4. No restart required as this is a code fix.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict Bulk Create API Access
allTemporarily disable or restrict access to the bulk create API endpoint until patching can be completed.
Configure web server (nginx/apache) to block /api/v1/bulk_create endpoints
Use Airflow's RBAC to remove CREATE privileges from users who don't need them
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Review and audit user privileges to ensure no users have CREATE without UPDATE for affected resources
- Implement monitoring for bulk create API calls and alert on suspicious activity
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check your Airflow version and verify if users have CREATE privilege without UPDATE for Pools, Connections, or Variables.Check Version:
airflow versionVerify Fix Applied:
After upgrading to 2.10.4+, test that users with CREATE but no UPDATE cannot modify existing records via bulk create API.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Bulk create API calls with overwrite parameter
- Unauthorized modification attempts to Pools, Connections, or Variables
- Users with CREATE privilege performing UPDATE-like operations
Network Indicators:
- POST requests to /api/v1/bulk_create endpoints with overwrite=true
SIEM Query:
source="airflow" AND (uri_path="/api/v1/bulk_create" AND method="POST" AND parameters CONTAINS "overwrite=true")