CVE-2025-54831: 
Apache Airflow vulnerability analysis and mitigation

Apache Airflow 3.0.3 contains a security vulnerability (CVE-2025-54831) that was discovered on September 26, 2025. The vulnerability relates to the handling of sensitive information in Connections, where the platform unintentionally exposed sensitive connection details to users with READ permissions, contrary to its intended security model (NVD, Security Online).

The vulnerability stems from a change introduced in Apache Airflow 3 that was meant to restrict access to sensitive connection fields to Connection Editing Users through a 'write-only' model. However, in version 3.0.3, this model was compromised, allowing sensitive connection information to be accessed through both the API and UI interfaces. The issue also bypassed the AIRFLOW__CORE__HIDE_SENSITIVE_VAR_CONN_FIELDS configuration option. The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.5 (Medium) with a vector string of CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N, and is classified under CWE-213 (Exposure of Sensitive Information Due to Incompatible Policies) (NVD).

The vulnerability allows users with only READ permissions to access sensitive connection information, including passwords, tokens, and other credentials tied to Airflow's connection configurations. This significantly weakens the platform's security model and could potentially enable insider threats or misconfigured accounts to access credentials for external systems (Security Online).

Users of Apache Airflow 3.0.3 are strongly advised to upgrade to version 3.0.4 or later to address this vulnerability. No alternative workarounds have been provided (NVD).