# CVE-2026-58076: Apache Airflow: Unguarded import_string() of airflow_exc_ser / base_exc_ser exception nodes in BaseSerialization.deserialize enables DAG-author RCE on Scheduler / API Server

Status: published. Published: 2026-08-12. Updated: 2026-11-03.

Apache Airflow's serialization layer reconstructed exception nodes by calling `import_string()` on a class name taken from the serialized blob and instantiating it with arguments from the same blob, with no restriction on what could be imported. An operator's `executor_config` reaches that branch, so a Dag author could place a value there that causes an arbitrary callable to be imported and invoked -- for example `subprocess.check_output`, or `builtins.eval` on the `builtins`-prefixed variant. The code runs in the **Scheduler**, which reconstructs serialized Dags in its normal loop with no request involved, and in the **API server**, on any authenticated read of the Dag such as `GET /api/v2/dags/{dag_id}/details`. Both are components the Airflow security model states must never execute Dag-author code, and both hold the metadata database credentials and the JWT signing secret. No non-default configuration is required. This is a **different sink from CVE-2026-33264**, which covered only the trigger branch of the same deserializer: deployments that upgraded in response to that advisory are still affected through the exception branch and must upgrade again. Users are advised to upgrade to apache-airflow 3.3.1 or later, which restricts the imported class to a subclass of `BaseException`.

## Remediation

- fix: The reporting source identifies this reference as a patch. Check the advisory for affected versions and supported release branches. (source: CNA: apache) — https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/68511

## Affected products and versions

- Apache Software Foundation / Apache Airflow (apache-airflow-core): ≥ 3.0.0; < 3.3.1 (affected, semver). Source: CNA: apache

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 3.1: 8.8 (high); CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H; source: ADP: CISA-ADP

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.48% as of 2026-11-02; percentile 41.71%

- SSVC: exploitation none; automatable no; technical impact total; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: CWE-502

## Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

## References

- https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/68511 (CNA: apache; patch)

- https://lists.apache.org/thread/t81p688t15jozxsng8521o60nh2kfsos (CNA: apache; vendor-advisory)

- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-33264 (CNA: apache; related)

## Provenance

- CNA: apache: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-58076; retrieved 2026-11-03; source updated 2026-11-03

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-58076; retrieved 2026-11-03; source updated Not reported

Revision: c75b3a62d1e65e8ef855cf740c484f9fb1fc98216d33f7d7dc32dcb8510eaf6c

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2026-58076

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