CVE-2020-11978

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…

CVSS score
8.8 High
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CISA KEV
Yes — actively exploited (added 2022-01-18, remediation due 2022-07-18)
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-78
Published
2020-07-17
Last modified
2026-06-17
NVD status
Analyzed

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.

Affected products

Affected ranges per NVD CPE data; confirm exact versions in the vendor advisory.

Required action (CISA)

Apply updates per vendor instructions. Federal remediation deadline: 2022-07-18.

How to prioritize this

This vulnerability is on the CISA KEV list, meaning it is being actively exploited — treat it as urgent regardless of the raw CVSS number. Use the live CVE lookup for the latest NVD data, and the CVSS 3.1 calculator to model your own environmental score. For the actively exploited vulnerabilities that matter this week, read The Exploit HQ daily security brief.

References

FAQ

Is CVE-2020-11978 actively exploited?

Yes. CISA added CVE-2020-11978 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 2022-01-18, with a federal remediation deadline of 2022-07-18. A KEV listing means real-world exploitation is confirmed, so patching this should be prioritized above many higher-CVSS bugs that aren't being exploited.

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2020-11978?

CVE-2020-11978 has a CVSS base score of 8.8 (High). Its vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

Related vulnerabilities

Data source: NVD & CISA KEV. Shown as-is; nothing added. Last generated from NVD data — re-check the live tool for updates.