CVE-2026-40861

Apache Airflow: Arbitrary File Read via Log Symlink following in FileTaskHandler

MEDIUM
6.5
CVSS Score
Published: June 1, 2026 at 07:55 AM UTC
Updated: July 21, 2026 at 07:26 PM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorAirflow

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Severity
MEDIUM6.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.7%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

A Dag author could either (a) create a symlink under their task's log directory pointing to an arbitrary file readable by the API server process (read-path attack — e.g. `/etc/passwd` or `airflow.cfg`) or (b) supply a `task_id` containing `..` sequences accepted by the Task SDK's `KEY_REGEX` (write-path attack), and in both cases the FileTaskHandler resolves the log path outside the configured `base_log_folder`, leaking or overwriting arbitrary files. Only affects deployments where the worker log folder is shared with the API server. Users are advised to upgrade to `apache-airflow` 3.2.2 or later. As a defense-in-depth mitigation, deploy the worker and API server with separate log volumes so that worker-controlled paths cannot reach the API server's filesystem.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v < 3.2.2
Affected range stops below 3.2.2, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

References (3)

Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/31/1

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

6.5MEDIUMCISA-ADP
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
NONE
Availability
NONE
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-59

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