# CVE-2026-113504: Apache Airflow secrets masker insufficient nesting depth

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-113504-apache-airflow-s-secrets-masker-stopped-descending-into-nested  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-11-09. Updated: 2026-11-09  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-113504 · Severity: info · Published 2026-11-09

Apache Airflow is a workflow orchestration platform that stores sensitive data like database passwords and API tokens in its configuration system. A flaw in the secrets masking mechanism allowed sensitive values nested more than five layers deep to appear unmasked in task logs and rendered templates, where users with read access—but who should not see those secrets—could retrieve them.

Technologies: [Apache Airflow](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/airflow). Vendors: [Apache](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/apache).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-113504 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-113504 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-113504?** Informational severity, published 9 November 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Apache Airflow before 3.4.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-113504?** Yes: fixed in apache-airflow 3.4.0. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-113504 attacked?** It is attacked with local access.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-113504?** Check whether you run Apache Airflow at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- Fixed in apache-airflow 3.4.0

## Technical details

The pattern-based secrets masker in Apache Airflow stopped descending into nested data structures beyond five levels deep, causing sensitive strings (Connection passwords, Variable values) buried in deeply nested containers to be returned without masking applied. The vulnerability required read access to task logs or rendered template fields. A fix applies the masker to string leaves at any nesting depth while maintaining the fail-closed bound on recursion.

## Affected products

- Apache Airflow before 3.4.0

## Timeline

- 2026-11-09: disclosed
- 2026-10-19: patched

## References

- [https://pypi.python.org/](https://pypi.python.org/)
- [https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/73793](https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/73793)

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- [Apache Airflow scheduler XCom deserialization privilege escalation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-86829-apache-airflow-s-scheduler-fully-deserializes-xcom-values-written)
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