# CVE-2026-42526: Apache Airflow Amazon provider incorrect authorization in secrets backends

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-42526-apache-airflow-amazon-provider-incorrect-authorization-in-secrets  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-05-19. Updated: 2026-06-05  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-42526 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.3 · Published 2026-05-19

A vulnerability in the Apache Airflow Amazon provider could allow unauthorized users to access sensitive credentials stored in AWS Secrets Manager or SSM Parameter Store. This issue occurs when using the experimental multi-tenant teams feature, where a user could craft a specific connection ID to trick the system into retrieving another team's secrets. Exploitation could lead to the exposure of sensitive cloud credentials and unauthorized access to connected AWS resources.

Technologies: [apache-airflow-providers-amazon (PyPI)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/apache-airflow-providers-amazon). Vendors: [Apache Software Foundation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/apache-software-foundation), [PyPI](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/pypi).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-42526 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-42526 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-42526?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.3, published 19 May 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Apache Software Foundation Airflow-Providers-Amazon < 9.28.0; apache-airflow-providers-amazon (PyPI) < 9.28.0, ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=9.28.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-42526?** Yes. apache-airflow-providers-amazon (PyPI): upgrade to 9.28.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-42526 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-42526?** Check whether you run Apache Software Foundation Airflow Amazon Provider, Apache Software Foundation Airflow-Providers-Amazon or apache-airflow-providers-amazon (PyPI) 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

- apache-airflow-providers-amazon (PyPI): upgrade to 9.28.0 or later

  ```sh
  pip install "apache-airflow-providers-amazon>=9.28.0"
  ```


## Technical details

An incorrect authorization vulnerability (CWE-863) exists in the `apache-airflow-providers-amazon` package prior to version 9.28.0. The flaw resides in the team-scoping logic of the AWS Secrets Manager and SSM Parameter Store backends. When the experimental multi-tenant teams feature is enabled, the backend used a forward slash ('/') as a separator. A caller without team context could provide a `conn_id` containing a slash (e.g., "my_team/conn") that resolves to the same storage path as a legitimate team-scoped secret. This allows a low-privileged attacker to retrieve secrets belonging to other teams. The fix in version 9.28.0 changes the separator to '--' and implements checks to reject team-formatted IDs when team context is missing.

## Affected products

- Apache Software Foundation apache-airflow-providers-amazon < 9.28.0

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-42526
- GHSA-g9qc-qf28-hhqx
- PYSEC-2026-595

## Timeline

- 2026-04-26: patched: Pull request merged into main branch
- 2026-05-19: disclosed: Public disclosure via oss-security and NVD
- 2026-05-19: advisory

## References

- [https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/65703](https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/65703)
- [https://lists.apache.org/thread/0092sz5g520d3qqjb01wd61myqlgjtyn](https://lists.apache.org/thread/0092sz5g520d3qqjb01wd61myqlgjtyn)
- [http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/19/36](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/19/36)

## Related threats

- [The AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store and Secrets Manager backends in Apache Airflow's Amazon provider resolved a…](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-68872-pysec-2026-3713-the-aws-systems-manager-parameter-store-and)
- [PYSEC-2026-771 - Apache Airflow AWS Provider Generates Error Message Containing Sensitive Information](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2023-25956-apache-airflow-aws-provider-generates-error-message-containing)
- [Apache Airflow AWS Auth Manager SAML authentication bypass](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-25604-apache-airflow-aws-auth-manager-saml-authentication-bypass)