CVE-2026-32228
Published: 18 April 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-32228 is a high-severity Incorrect Authorization (CWE-863) vulnerability in Apache Airflow. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked at the 26.2th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 AC-3 (Access Enforcement) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
AC-3 mandates enforcement of approved authorizations, directly preventing UI/API users with asset materialize permission from bypassing access controls to trigger unauthorized DAGs.
SI-2 requires timely flaw remediation, addressing this authorization bypass vulnerability by mandating upgrades to patched Airflow versions like 3.2.0.
AC-6 enforces least privilege, limiting users with asset materialize permission and reducing the attack surface for unauthorized DAG triggering.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
The CVE describes a remote authorization bypass in Apache Airflow's public UI/API that allows triggering unauthorized DAGs; this directly maps to exploitation of a public-facing application (T1190).
NVD Description
UI / API User with asset materialize permission could trigger dags they had no access to. Users are advised to migrate to Airflow version 3.2.0 that fixes the issue.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2026-32228 is a vulnerability in Apache Airflow that allows a UI or API user with asset materialize permission to trigger Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) to which they lack access. This issue, tied to CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization), affects versions of Airflow prior to 3.2.0 and carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N), indicating high confidentiality impact with network accessibility and low attack complexity.
An attacker requires only asset materialize permission via the Airflow UI or API to exploit this flaw remotely without user interaction or elevated privileges beyond that permission. Successful exploitation enables triggering unauthorized DAGs, potentially exposing sensitive data processed or stored within those workflows, resulting in unauthorized confidentiality breaches.
Advisories recommend migrating to Apache Airflow version 3.2.0, which addresses the authorization bypass. Relevant discussions and the fixing pull request are available at https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/63338, https://lists.apache.org/thread/s7c75txgt4qf2rofcn43szfwgcrzy0nj, and http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/04/17/8.
Details
- CWE(s)