CVE-2020-11978
Detail
Description
An issue was found in Apache Airflow versions 1.10.10 and below. A remote code/command injection vulnerability was discovered in one of the example DAGs shipped with Airflow which would allow any authenticated user to run arbitrary commands as the user running airflow worker/scheduler (depending on the executor in use). If you already have examples disabled by setting load_examples=False in the config then you are not vulnerable.
Metrics
NVD enrichment efforts reference publicly available information to associate
vector strings. CVSS information contributed by other sources is also
displayed.
CVSS 4.0 Severity and Vector Strings:
NVD assessment
not yet provided.
CVSS 3.x Severity and Vector Strings:
Vector:
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0 Severity and Vector Strings:
Vector:
(AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P)
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
By selecting these links, you will be leaving NIST webspace.
We have provided these links to other web sites because they
may have information that would be of interest to you. No
inferences should be drawn on account of other sites being
referenced, or not, from this page. There may be other web
sites that are more appropriate for your purpose. NIST does
not necessarily endorse the views expressed, or concur with
the facts presented on these sites. Further, NIST does not
endorse any commercial products that may be mentioned on
these sites. Please address comments about this page to [email protected].
This CVE is in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog
Reference
CISA's BOD 22-01 and Known
Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog for further guidance and requirements.
| Vulnerability Name |
Date Added |
Due Date |
Required Action |
| Apache Airflow Command Injection |
01/18/2022 |
07/18/2022 |
Apply updates per vendor instructions. |
Change History
17 change records found show changes
CVE Modified by CISA-ADP
6/16/2026 10:51:10 PM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Added |
SSVC |
{"timestamp":"2025-02-06T20:53:53.819046Z","id":"CVE-2020-11978","options":[{"exploitation":"active"},{"automatable":"no"},{"technicalImpact":"total"}],"role":"CISA Coordinator","version":"2.0.3"}
|
CVE Modified by Apache Software Foundation
6/16/2026 10:51:10 PM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Added |
Affected |
[{"vendor":"Apache Software Foundation","product":"Apache Airflow","versions":[{"version":"1.10.10 and below","status":"affected"}]}]
|
Modified Analysis by NIST
10/23/2025 10:49:31 AM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Added |
Reference Type |
CISA-ADP: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-11978 Types: Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
|
CVE Modified by CISA-ADP
10/21/2025 8:16:56 PM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Added |
Reference |
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-11978
|
CVE Modified by CISA-ADP
10/21/2025 4:17:46 PM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Removed |
Reference |
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-11978
|
CVE Modified by CISA-ADP
10/21/2025 3:18:18 PM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Added |
Reference |
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-11978
|
Modified Analysis by NIST
3/07/2025 11:27:27 AM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
CVE Modified by CISA-ADP
2/06/2025 4:15:14 PM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Added |
CVSS V3.1 |
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
|
| Added |
CWE |
CWE-78
|
CVE Modified by CVE
11/20/2024 11:59:02 PM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Added |
Reference |
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162908/Apache-Airflow-1.10.10-Remote-Code-Execution.html
|
| Added |
Reference |
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174764/Apache-Airflow-1.10.10-Remote-Code-Execution.html
|
| Added |
Reference |
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r7255cf0be3566f23a768e2a04b40fb09e52fcd1872695428ba9afe91%40%3Cusers.airflow.apache.org%3E
|
Modified Analysis by NIST
7/24/2024 12:47:01 PM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Changed |
CPE Configuration |
OR
*cpe:2.3:a:apache:airflow:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions up to (including) 1.10.10
|
OR
*cpe:2.3:a:apache:airflow:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions up to (excluding) 1.10.11
|
| Changed |
Reference Type |
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174764/Apache-Airflow-1.10.10-Remote-Code-Execution.html No Types Assigned
|
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174764/Apache-Airflow-1.10.10-Remote-Code-Execution.html Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
|
CVE Modified by Apache Software Foundation
5/14/2024 2:19:37 AM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
CVE Modified by Apache Software Foundation
9/19/2023 2:15:16 PM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Added |
Reference |
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174764/Apache-Airflow-1.10.10-Remote-Code-Execution.html [No Types Assigned]
|
CWE Remap by NIST
7/12/2022 1:42:04 PM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Changed |
CWE |
CWE-77
|
CWE-78
|
Modified Analysis by NIST
12/22/2021 4:00:57 PM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Changed |
Reference Type |
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162908/Apache-Airflow-1.10.10-Remote-Code-Execution.html No Types Assigned
|
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162908/Apache-Airflow-1.10.10-Remote-Code-Execution.html Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
|
CWE Remap by NIST
7/21/2021 7:39:23 AM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Changed |
CWE |
CWE-78
|
CWE-77
|
CVE Modified by Apache Software Foundation
6/02/2021 12:15:08 PM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Added |
Reference |
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162908/Apache-Airflow-1.10.10-Remote-Code-Execution.html [No Types Assigned]
|
Initial Analysis by NIST
7/22/2020 1:15:15 PM
| Action |
Type |
Old Value |
New Value |
| Added |
CVSS V3.1 |
NIST AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
|
| Added |
CVSS V2 |
NIST (AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P)
|
| Added |
CWE |
NIST CWE-78
|
| Added |
CPE Configuration |
OR
*cpe:2.3:a:apache:airflow:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions up to (including) 1.10.10
|
| Changed |
Reference Type |
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r7255cf0be3566f23a768e2a04b40fb09e52fcd1872695428ba9afe91%40%3Cusers.airflow.apache.org%3E No Types Assigned
|
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r7255cf0be3566f23a768e2a04b40fb09e52fcd1872695428ba9afe91%40%3Cusers.airflow.apache.org%3E Mailing List, Vendor Advisory
|
Quick Info
CVE Dictionary Entry: CVE-2020-11978 NVD
Published Date: 07/16/2020 NVD
Last Modified: 06/16/2026
Source: Apache Software Foundation
|
