Description
A bug in Apache Airflow's XCom PATCH endpoint `PATCH /api/v2/xcomEntries/{key}` allowed an authenticated UI/API user with XCom write permission on a Dag to set XCom entries under reserved key names (e.g. `return_value`) that the matching POST endpoint already validated against `FORBIDDEN_XCOM_KEYS`. The endpoint also accepted serialized payload shapes the triggerer's deserializer treats as code; combined, this allowed RCE on the triggerer when the affected task next deferred. Affects deployments where untrusted users have XCom write permission on Dags that defer to the triggerer. This is a fix-bypass of CVE-2026-33858: PR #64148 added the `FORBIDDEN_XCOM_KEYS` validator only on the POST/set path; the PATCH path was not covered. Users who already upgraded for CVE-2026-33858 should additionally upgrade to `apache-airflow` 3.2.2 or later to cover the PATCH-path bypass.
Affected products
apache: airflow
References3
- lists.apache.org/thread/g8dqykpf1p90tysq8tln4qtkqwb1038s Mailing ListVendor Advisory
- github.com/apache/airflow/pull/65915 Issue TrackingPatch
- www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-33858 Third Party Advisory
Metrics
- CVSS 3.1
-
8.8
HIGH
Score source: CNA
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - EPSS — exploit probability
- 1% percentile: 48 · as of 15 November 2026
- CWE
- CWE-502
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