High severity · published Apr 15, 2026
CVE-2025-54550
Apache Airflow: RCE by race condition in example_xcom dag
8.1
CVSS
0.6%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
The example example_xcom that was included in airflow documentation implemented unsafe pattern of reading value
from xcom in the way that could be exploited to allow UI user who had access to modify XComs to perform arbitrary
execution of code on the worker. Since the UI users are already highly trusted, this is a Low severity vulnerability.
It does not affect Airflow release - example_dags are not supposed to be enabled in production environment, however
users following the example could replicate the bad pattern. Documentation of Airflow 3.2.0 contains version of
the example with improved resiliance for that case.
Users who followed that pattern are advised to adjust their implementations accordingly.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
None
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.6% · higher than 47% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
AA
Apache Airflow · Apache Software Foundation
before 3.2.0 · source: vendor
AI
Airflow · Apache
before 3.2.0 · source: NVD
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-54550
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-54550
Issue Tracking
https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/63200
Mailing List
https://lists.apache.org/thread/3mf4cfx070ofsnf9qy0s2v5gqb5sc2g1
Mailing List
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/04/15/1
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