A bug in Apache Airflow's XCom PATCH endpoint `PATCH /api/v2/xcomEntries/{key}` allowed an authenticated UI/API user with XCom write permission on a Dag to set XCom entries under reserved key names (e.g. `return_value`) that the matching POST endpoint already validated against `FORBIDDEN_XCOM_KEYS`. The endpoint also accepted serialized payload shapes the triggerer's deserializer treats as code; combined, this allowed RCE on the triggerer when the affected task next deferred. Affects deployments where untrusted users have XCom write permission on Dags that defer to the triggerer. This is a fix-bypass of CVE-2026-33858: PR #64148 added the `FORBIDDEN_XCOM_KEYS` validator only on the POST/set path; the PATCH path was not covered. Users who already upgraded for CVE-2026-33858 should additionally upgrade to `apache-airflow` 3.2.2 or later to cover the PATCH-path bypass.

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Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Apache
Apache airflow
Vendors & Products Apache
Apache airflow

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A bug in Apache Airflow's XCom PATCH endpoint `PATCH /api/v2/xcomEntries/{key}` allowed an authenticated UI/API user with XCom write permission on a Dag to set XCom entries under reserved key names (e.g. `return_value`) that the matching POST endpoint already validated against `FORBIDDEN_XCOM_KEYS`. The endpoint also accepted serialized payload shapes the triggerer's deserializer treats as code; combined, this allowed RCE on the triggerer when the affected task next deferred. Affects deployments where untrusted users have XCom write permission on Dags that defer to the triggerer. This is a fix-bypass of CVE-2026-33858: PR #64148 added the `FORBIDDEN_XCOM_KEYS` validator only on the POST/set path; the PATCH path was not covered. Users who already upgraded for CVE-2026-33858 should additionally upgrade to `apache-airflow` 3.2.2 or later to cover the PATCH-path bypass.
Title Apache Airflow: Authenticated RCE via XCom PATCH endpoint — XComUpdateBody missing FORBIDDEN_XCOM_KEYS validator
Weaknesses CWE-502
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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: apache

Published:

Updated: 2026-06-01T07:49:17.429Z

Reserved: 2026-04-26T19:37:56.165Z

Link: CVE-2026-42359

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-06-01T09:16:18.907

Modified: 2026-06-01T09:16:18.907

Link: CVE-2026-42359

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-06-01T11:00:08Z

Weaknesses