AirflowApplication · Apache
CVE-2021-45229
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedIt was discovered that the "Trigger DAG with config" screen was susceptible to XSS attacks via the `origin` query argument. This issue affects Apache Airflow versions 2.2.3 and below.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceCross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Apache Airflow's 'Trigger DAG with config' screen allows injection of malicious scripts through the 'origin' query parameter. This affects Airflow versions 2.2.3 and below, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the context of other users' sessions.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
AirflowApplication
<= 2.2.3CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Check installed Airflow versionRun `airflow version` or check the Airflow UI footer which displays the version numberAffected if The installed version is 2.2.3 or lower (any version <= 2.2.3)
-
Verify Airflow web server is accessibleConfirm the Airflow webserver is running and accessible to users (check process status or service configuration)Affected if The web interface is exposed and users can access the Trigger DAG functionality
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Identify if the Trigger DAG with config endpoint is reachableCheck if the `/dags/<dag_id>/trigger` endpoint is accessible in your Airflow web server. This is the 'Trigger DAG with config' screen where the vulnerable 'origin' parameter is processedAffected if Users can access the Trigger DAG interface and the 'origin' query parameter is accepted without sanitization
You are affected if your Airflow version is 2.2.3 or lower and the web interface with the Trigger DAG feature is accessible to users.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedUpgrade Apache Airflow to version 2.2.4 or later which contains the security fix for this XSS vulnerability.
Apache Airflow 2.2.4 or later
- 1. Back up your Airflow metadata database and configuration files
- 2. Check your current Airflow version using `airflow version`
- 3. Upgrade Airflow using pip: `pip install apache-airflow==2.2.4` or later (e.g., `pip install apache-airflow>=2.2.4`)
- 4. Verify the upgrade was successful by running `airflow version`
- 5. Restart the Airflow webserver, scheduler, and worker services
- 6. Test the 'Trigger DAG with config' functionality to confirm the XSS vulnerability is fixed
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Airflow
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing8.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $6,656.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-45229 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-45229 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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