CVE-2020-17511: Vulnerability in Apache Airflow

airflow Updated 02 Oct 2025

Summary

06/03/2024

Disclosed on

CVE-2020-17511

CVE

Yes i

Fix available

Medium

Severity

Not published

CVSS Score

CVE-2020-17511: In Airflow versions prior to 1.10.13, when creating a user using airflow CLI, the password gets logged in plain text in the Log table in Airflow Metadatase. Affects airflow versions < 1.10.13. Fixed in 1.10.13. How to fix ↓

Also tracked for

apache-airflow · PyPI
apache-airflow · PyPI

The same CVE-2020-17511 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.

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Background

Apache Airflow is an open-source platform used for orchestrating and scheduling workflows. It allows users to define, schedule, and monitor complex workflows as directed acyclic graphs (DAGs). Airflow CLI is a command-line interface provided by Airflow for managing users and connections. The vulnerability in Airflow versions prior to 1.10.13 allows the password to be logged in plain text in the Log table in Airflow Metadata when creating a user using the CLI or when creating a Connection with a password field.

Vulnerability Detail

The vulnerability (CVE-2020-17511) arises from the insecure logging of passwords in plain text. When a user is created using the Airflow CLI or a Connection is created with a password field, the password is stored in the Log table in Airflow Metadata without proper encryption. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information if an attacker gains access to the logs or the database. The impact of this vulnerability is medium, as it requires local access to the logs or the database to exploit it.

How To Fix

Minimum fixed version

1.10.13

This is the first release that contains the fix.

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Workaround

There is no specific workaround provided for this vulnerability. The recommended solution is to upgrade to the fixed version of Airflow.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the vulnerability (CVE-2020-17511) in Apache Airflow allows passwords to be logged in plain text in the Log table in Airflow Metadata. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information if an attacker gains access to the logs or the database. It is recommended to upgrade to Airflow version 1.10.13 or later to fix this vulnerability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.

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