# CVE-2026-49297: Apache Airflow Google Provider path traversal in GCS operators

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-49297-apache-airflow-google-provider-path-traversal-in-gcs-operators  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-07-06. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-49297 · Severity: high · CVSS 8.1 · Published 2026-07-06

Apache Airflow's Google Cloud Storage (GCS) integration operators are used to transfer data from GCS buckets to SFTP servers or local worker directories. An attacker with write access to a source GCS bucket can craft object names containing path-traversal sequences (like "..") to cause downloaded files to be written outside the intended destination directory, potentially overwriting critical files on SFTP servers or Airflow worker hosts.

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

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-49297 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-49297 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-49297?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 8.1, published 6 July 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Apache Software Foundation Airflow Google Provider < 22.2.1; apache-airflow-providers-google (PyPI) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=22.2.1.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-49297?** Yes. apache-airflow-providers-google (PyPI): upgrade to 22.2.1 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-49297 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-49297?** Check whether you run Apache Software Foundation Airflow Google Provider or apache-airflow-providers-google (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-google (PyPI): upgrade to 22.2.1 or later

  ```sh
  pip install "apache-airflow-providers-google>=22.2.1"
  ```


## Technical details

This is a path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) affecting two Google Cloud Storage operators in Apache Airflow. The vulnerable operators—`GCSToSFTPOperator` and `GCSTimeSpanFileTransformOperator`—compute filesystem destination paths by joining GCS object names (returned from bucket listing APIs) directly to a configured base path without path normalization or containment checks. Because GCS object names are arbitrary UTF-8 strings controlled by whoever can write to the source bucket, an attacker can embed ".." directory-traversal sequences or absolute path prefixes in object names. When these names are joined to the base destination path using `os.path.join()`, the resulting path can resolve to locations outside the intended directory—for example, overwriting `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` on an SFTP server or other sensitive files on the worker host. The fix, released in version 22.2.1, normalizes the joined path using `os.path.normpath()` and validates that the final resolved path stays within the configured base directory, raising a `ValueError` if traversal is detected.

## Affected products

- Apache Airflow Google provider < 22.2.1

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-49297
- GHSA-v3mh-27qj-w836
- PYSEC-2026-2084

## Timeline

- 2026-07-06: disclosed: Vulnerability published by Apache Airflow via GitHub Advisory and NVD
- 2026-06-17: patched: Fix merged in commit 0385bae; version 22.2.1 released with patch
- 2026-07-04: advisory: Advisory posted to oss-security mailing list by Shahar Epstein

## References

- [https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/67667](https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/67667)
- [https://lists.apache.org/thread/cb5nvoxsj1q7rv878cyqgtg150w0zglq?users@airflow.apache.org](https://lists.apache.org/thread/cb5nvoxsj1q7rv878cyqgtg150w0zglq?users@airflow.apache.org)
- [http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/07/04/8](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/07/04/8)
- [https://github.com/apache/airflow/commit/0385bae70553223677753047b3e779d8b86b15c4](https://github.com/apache/airflow/commit/0385bae70553223677753047b3e779d8b86b15c4)
- [https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/apache-airflow-providers-google/PYSEC-2026-2084.yaml](https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/apache-airflow-providers-google/PYSEC-2026-2084.yaml)

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