Apache Airflow Keycloak provider: Improper Authentication
CVE-2026-76187 is a critical-severity improper authentication vulnerability in Apache Airflow Keycloak provider from Apache, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists version 0.10.0 as the first without the flaw, so updating Apache Airflow Keycloak provider to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.98% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 63% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update Apache Airflow Keycloak provider to 0.10.0 or a later version.
- Update Apache-airflow-providers-keycloak to 0.10.0 or a later version.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apache | Apache Airflow Keycloak provider | before 0.10.0 | 0.10.0 |
| Apache | Apache-airflow-providers-keycloak | before 0.10.0 | 0.10.0 |
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
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- 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:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
Apache Airflow Keycloak provider: the unauthenticated token endpoint accepts a client-credentials grant for any confidential client registered in the Keycloak realm, not only the client configured for Airflow. No allowlist restricts which client ids may authenticate, so the credentials of an unrelated application that happens to share the realm are valid Airflow login credentials, and Airflow mints a signed session token for that application's service account. The endpoint also answers unauthenticated credential guesses against Keycloak under Airflow's identity. Affects deployments using the Keycloak auth manager whose realm is shared with other confidential clients. The attacker needs valid credentials for any one of those clients, not for Airflow. Resource authorization is still evaluated per subject, so the access gained is whatever that service account holds, plus any endpoint gated only on being authenticated. Users of apache-airflow-providers-keycloak are recommended to upgrade to version 0.10.0 or later, which accepts only the configured client on that grant.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Authentication
When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use an authentication framework or library such as the OWASP ESAPI Authentication feature.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Third-party and government advisories
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/09/15/9Third Party Advisory
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in Apache Airflow Keycloak provider
- 9.1 Critical severity
Recent Improper Authentication vulnerabilities
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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