CVE-2023-40712: Apache Airflow Vulnerability Exposes Secret Configuration in UI

Apache Airflow, the popular open-source workflow management platform, has uncovered a security vulnerability in versions before 2.7.1. This vulnerability, assigned CVE-2023-40712, allows authenticated users who have access to see the task/dag in the UI to craft a URL, which could expose the secret configuration of the task. This configuration would otherwise be masked in the UI for security reasons.

Affected Software: Apache Airflow
Affected Versions: Before 2.7.1
CVE Identifier: CVE-2023-40712

Code Snippet

As an example, consider a user who has access to a specific task or dag in the Apache Airflow UI. By crafting a URL, as shown in the code snippet below, they could gain access to the secret configuration of that task:

from urllib.parse import quote

def craft_url(base_url, task_id, dag_id):
    evil_payload = f"' or 1=1 --"  # Simulating a crafted SQL injection payload
    crafted_url = f"{base_url}/task?task_id={quote(task_id)}&dag_id={quote(dag_id)}&evil_payload={quote(evil_payload)}"
    return crafted_url

In this specific example, the user is simulating an SQL injection by crafting the URL with the evil_payload variable.

Exploit Details

This vulnerability has the potential to expose sensitive information related to the task configurations. Attackers could use this information for further exploitation, such as conducting more targeted attacks or compromising other connected systems.

An attacker must have an authenticated user account and permission to view the task/dag in the UI to exploit this vulnerability. Therefore, the risk is mitigated for organizations with strict user access controls and monitoring.

Solution and Recommendation

To resolve this vulnerability, it is strongly advised that users upgrade their Apache Airflow instances to version 2.7.1 or later. This version has addressed the issue and removed the vulnerability. The upgrade procedure can be referenced from the official Apache Airflow documentation:

- Upgrading to Airflow 2.7.1: https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow/stable/upgrading-to-2.html

Users who are unable to upgrade their Apache Airflow instances immediately should consider implementing stringent user access controls and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts. This will help minimize the risk of exploitation until the instance is secured.

Original References

- Apache Airflow's Official Security Advisories: https://airflow.apache.org/security.html
- Apache Airflow GitHub Repository: https://github.com/apache/airflow
- National Vulnerability Database (NVD) Entry for CVE-2023-40712: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-40712

By staying informed about the latest security vulnerabilities and promptly applying security updates to your Apache Airflow installations, your organization can minimize the risk of being exposed to potential attacks. Stay safe and keep your infrastructure secure!

Timeline

Published on: 09/12/2023 12:15:08 UTC
Last modified on: 09/13/2023 03:50:38 UTC