CVE-2020-11981: Command injection via Celery broker in Apache Airflow
Summary
CVE-2020-11981: Command injection via Celery broker in Apache Airflow. Affects apache-airflow versions < 1.10.11rc1. Fixed in 1.10.11rc1. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- airflow · Bitnami
The same CVE-2020-11981 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 programmatically authoring, scheduling, and monitoring workflows. It allows users to define complex workflows as directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) of tasks. Apache Airflow supports various executors, including CeleryExecutor, which uses a message broker (such as Redis or RabbitMQ) to distribute tasks across multiple workers. This vulnerability affects Apache Airflow versions 1.10.10 and below.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability arises when using CeleryExecutor in Apache Airflow, where an attacker can directly connect to the broker and inject commands. This allows the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the celery worker, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data manipulation, or system compromise. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 9.8, indicating its critical severity.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 3.3.2 as of 22 Oct 2026
pip install --upgrade "apache-airflow==3.3.2"Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
1.10.11rc1
This is the first release that contains the fix.
pip install --upgrade "apache-airflow==1.10.11rc1"Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, it is advised to restrict direct access to the Celery broker from untrusted networks or entities. Implementing network-level access controls, such as firewalls or IP whitelisting, can help mitigate the risk of command injection. However, upgrading to the patched version is still the recommended long-term solution.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Apache Airflow versions 1.10.10 and below are vulnerable to command injection via the Celery broker. It is crucial to upgrade to version 1.10.11 or above to mitigate this vulnerability. Restricting direct access to the Celery broker and implementing proper input validation are recommended security measures. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for apache-airflow →
FAQ
Apache Airflow is an open-source platform used for programmatically authoring, scheduling, and monitoring workflows.
CeleryExecutor is an executor in Apache Airflow that uses a message broker (such as Redis or RabbitMQ) to distribute tasks across multiple workers.
This vulnerability occurs when an attacker can directly connect to the Celery broker and inject commands, allowing them to execute arbitrary commands on the celery worker.
The consequences of this vulnerability include unauthorized access, data manipulation, and potential compromise of the system running Apache Airflow.
This vulnerability has a CVSS score of 9.8, indicating its critical severity.
References
Related vulnerabilities
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