Apache Airflow Google provider: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory
CVE-2026-49297 is a high-severity improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory vulnerability in Apache Airflow Google provider from Apache, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists version 22.2.1 as the first without the flaw, so updating Apache Airflow Google provider to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.99% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 63% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Apache Airflow Google provider to 22.2.1 or a later version.
- Update Apache-airflow-providers-google to 22.2.1 or a later version.
- Read the advisory on lists.apache.org for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apache | Apache Airflow Google provider | before 22.2.1 | 22.2.1 |
| Apache | Apache-airflow-providers-google | before 22.2.1 | 22.2.1 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
Apache Airflow's Google provider operators `GCSToSFTPOperator` and `GCSTimeSpanFileTransformOperator` joined GCS object names returned by the bucket listing API directly to a destination filesystem path without normalisation or containment check. A user with write access to the source GCS bucket (typically a different trust principal than the DAG author — partner uploads, ingest-only service accounts, public-data buckets) could create an object whose name contains `..` segments and cause the DAG run to write the downloaded blob outside the configured destination (the SFTP `destination_path` for `GCSToSFTPOperator`; the worker-local temp directory for `GCSTimeSpanFileTransformOperator`), enabling overwrite of arbitrary files on the SFTP server or the worker host. Affects deployments that ingest from buckets writable by less-trusted principals. Users are advised to upgrade to `apache-airflow-providers-google` 22.2.1 or later.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid.
- Use an application firewall that can detect attacks against this weakness. It can be beneficial in cases in which the code cannot be fixed (because it is controlled by a third party), as an emergency prevention measure while more comprehensive software assurance measures are applied, or to provide defense in depth.
More Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory vulnerabilities (CWE-22)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
- lists.apache.org/thread/[email protected]Mailing List
Patches and release notes
- github.com/apache/airflow/pull/67667Exploit, Issue Tracking
Third-party and government advisories
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/07/04/8Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
Other vulnerabilities in Apache Airflow Google provider
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
Recent Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory vulnerabilities
- 9.6 Critical severity
- 7.7 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
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