# CVE-2026-76185: Apache Airflow Task SDK secret cache key collision in multi-team deployments

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-76185-apache-airflow-s-task-sdk-secret-cache-built-its-keys-from-the  
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-2026-76185 · Severity: info · Published 2026-11-09

Apache Airflow's Task SDK secret caching mechanism uses improperly escaped team names and secret IDs as cache keys, allowing different (team, secret) pairs to collide in the cache. In multi-team deployments where caching is enabled, a DAG author could exploit this collision to read another team's Variables or Connections. This affects only deployments with both multi-team mode and secret caching enabled.

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

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-76185 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-76185 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-76185?** Informational severity, published 9 November 2026.

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

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-76185?** Yes: fixed in apache-airflow 3.4.0 or later. Until then: Deployments unable to upgrade can set `secrets.use_cache = False` to disable the vulnerable caching mechanism. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-76185 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-76185?** 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 or later

Deployments unable to upgrade can set `secrets.use_cache = False` to disable the vulnerable caching mechanism.

## Technical details

The SecretCache built keys by concatenating a prefix, an optional `_{team}_` segment, and a secret key using string concatenation, which is not injective when the team segment is optional. For example, team "analytics" with key "DB_PASSWORD" produces the same cache key as no team with key "_analytics_DB_PASSWORD". This collision allows reads, writes, and invalidations to resolve to the same cache slot, permitting cross-team secret disclosure or cache poisoning when both `core.multi_team = True` and `secrets.use_cache = True`.

## Affected products

- Apache Airflow prior to 3.4.0

## Timeline

- 2026-11-09: disclosed

## References

- [https://pypi.python.org/](https://pypi.python.org/)
- [https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/72201](https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/72201)

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