# CVE-2026-65017: Apache Airflow Config API sensitive value masking bypass in multi-team mode

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-65017-apache-airflow-config-api-sensitive-value-masking-bypass-in-multi  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-08-12. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-65017 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.5 · Published 2026-08-12

Apache Airflow is a workflow orchestration platform used by organizations to schedule and monitor data pipelines. In multi-team deployments where the Config API is exposed, a user with only read-only configuration access could bypass security controls and extract sensitive broker credentials (like database passwords or authentication tokens) that should have been hidden, potentially exposing critical infrastructure secrets.

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

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-65017 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-65017 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-65017?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.5, published 12 August 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Apache Airflow before 3.3.1; apache-airflow (PyPI) >= 3.3.0, < 3.3.1, ECOSYSTEM:introduced=3.3.0,fixed=3.3.1.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-65017?** Yes. apache-airflow (PyPI): upgrade to 3.3.1 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-65017 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-65017?** Check whether you run Apache Airflow or apache-airflow (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 (PyPI): upgrade to 3.3.1 or later

  ```sh
  pip install "apache-airflow>=3.3.1"
  ```


## Technical details

The vulnerability is an information disclosure (CWE-200) caused by improper masking of sensitive configuration values in the Config API when multi-team mode is enabled. The secrets masker performs a direct membership test against registered base section and option names but fails to normalize team-prefixed sections (formatted as `[&lt;team&gt;=&lt;section&gt;]` in config files or `AIRFLOW__&lt;TEAM&gt;___&lt;SECTION&gt;__&lt;KEY&gt;` in environment variables) before applying the sensitivity check. An authenticated user with Viewer role and configuration-read permission can read team-scoped Celery broker URLs with embedded credentials in cleartext, while the same global configuration option is correctly masked. This is distinct from earlier masker bypass vulnerabilities (CVE-2026-48828 and CVE-2026-48892) and affects even deployments that upgraded to version 3.3.0. The fix normalizes team-scoped sections before masking checks; users should upgrade to apache-airflow 3.3.1 or later.

## Affected products

- Apache Airflow before 3.3.1

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-65017
- BIT-AIRFLOW-2026-65017
- GHSA-c56v-8w4g-3mfm
- PYSEC-2026-3993

## Timeline

- 2026-08-12: disclosed
- 2026-08-04: patched: Fix merged in PR #70755 on apache/airflow main branch

## References

- [https://pypi.python.org/](https://pypi.python.org/)
- [https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/70755](https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/70755)

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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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