CVE-2021-38540

Name: CVE-2021-38540
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2021-09-09T15:15:09.17+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

CRITICALCVSS 9.8/10EPSS 80.94%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2021-38540 is a critical-severity vulnerability rated 9.8/10 on the CVSS scale. The variable import endpoint was not protected by authentication in Airflow >=2.0.0, <2.1.3. This allowed unauthenticated users to hit that endpoint to add/modify Airflow variables used in DAGs, potentially resulting in a denial of service, information disclosure or remote code execution. EPSS estimates a 80.94% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

The variable import endpoint was not protected by authentication in Airflow >=2.0.0, <2.1.3. This allowed unauthenticated users to hit that endpoint to add/modify Airflow variables used in DAGs, potentially resulting in a denial of service, information disclosure or remote code execution. This issue affects Apache Airflow >=2.0.0, <2.1.3.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

9.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

80.94%

99.6th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Apache	Airflow	>= 2.0.0, < 2.1.3

References

Timeline

Published: Sep 9, 2021
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-38540?

How severe is CVE-2021-38540?

CVE-2021-38540 has a CVSS score of 9.8/10 (CRITICAL severity). The EPSS model estimates a 80.94% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2021-38540?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2021-38540?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST