CVE-2026-41017
Apache Airflow 3.0.0 – 3.2.2
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:NSummary
CVE-2026-41017 is a medium-severity Sensitive Cookie in HTTPS Session Without 'Secure' Attribute (CWE-614) vulnerability in Apache Airflow. Its CVSS base score is 5.9 (Medium).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Steal Web Session Cookie (T1539); ranked at the 28th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SC-8 (Transmission Confidentiality and Integrity) and AC-17 (Remote Access) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-33593
Vulnerability Data
Apache Airflow's `JWTRefreshMiddleware` set the JWT auth cookie without the `Secure` flag, so deployments running the Airflow API server behind an HTTPS-terminating reverse proxy (e.g. nginx / Envoy / a managed load balancer that terminates TLS and forwards plaintext to…
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the API server, the default cloud-native topology) would have the user's session JWT replayed over any cleartext HTTP request to the same host. A network-positioned attacker (Wi-Fi MITM, hostile LAN, captive-portal proxy) could induce a logged-in user's browser to issue an HTTP request to the deployment's hostname and capture the JWT cookie out of that request, then replay it against the authenticated API. Affects deployments where the Airflow API server is reached through a TLS-terminating proxy and the cookie's secure-by-default protection is load-bearing for session integrity. Users are advised to upgrade to `apache-airflow` 3.2.2 or later.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Missing Secure flag on JWT session cookie directly enables cookie theft over HTTP (T1539) and subsequent replay as alternate auth material (T1550.004).
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Requires confidentiality and integrity protection for all transmitted sensitive data including session cookies, directly preventing the JWT from being sent or captured over plaintext HTTP.
Mandates encryption and secure mechanisms for all remote access sessions, which would block the cleartext cookie exposure when the API is reached through a TLS-terminating proxy.
Enforces secure configuration settings such as the cookie Secure flag on authenticators, eliminating the exact misconfiguration described in the CVE.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Setting the Secure attribute is a direct mechanism for protecting sensitive session data in transit over HTTPS.
Enforcing hardened configuration baselines includes requiring the Secure flag on sensitive cookies.
Secure SDLC practices explicitly require correct use of security attributes such as the cookie Secure flag.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Use of cryptography control mandates encryption in transit, which HTTPS provides, but does not specifically require the Secure cookie attribute.
Application security requirements can include cookie security settings, but the control is broader and does not explicitly mandate the Secure attribute.
Secure coding practices directly prevent missing the Secure attribute on sensitive cookies, though the control covers many other coding issues.
Secure authentication control requires protection of session credentials, directly addressed by setting the Secure flag on sensitive cookies.