---
title: "CVE-2026-86473: Apache Airflow - Authentication Bypass"
description: "Apache Airflow Core API contains a broken authentication caused by logout endpoint revoking only session tokens from cookies but not bearer tokens, letting attackers with stolen bearer tokens maintain access after victim logout, exploit requires attacker to already possess a valid token."
url: https://panop.io/threat-heartbeat/CVE-2026-86473/
---

# CVE-2026-86473 Apache Airflow - Authentication Bypass

Apache Airflow Core API contains a broken authentication caused by logout endpoint revoking only session tokens from cookies but not bearer tokens, letting attackers with stolen bearer tokens maintain access after victim logout, exploit requires attacker to already possess a valid token.

CVSS base score 9.1 /10

Critical

CISA KEV

Not listed

Public exploit

None known

Authentication

Not required

EPSS

0.75% chance of exploitation in 30 days

[View the NVD record ↗](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-86473)

## Details

Type

Authentication Bypass

Impact

Broken Authentication

CVSS vector

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

Published

21 September 2026

Updated

15 October 2026

Weakness

[CWE-613](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/613.html)

## Vendor fix

Upgrade to apache-airflow version 3.3.2 or later.

Patching closes this CVE. It does not tell you which of your systems run the affected version, or what else is exposed alongside them.

## References

- [https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-86473](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-86473)
- [https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/72649](https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/72649)
- [https://lists.apache.org/thread/k9z1p0q1ng8m68nlnv9d1fqzscrfm7vr](https://lists.apache.org/thread/k9z1p0q1ng8m68nlnv9d1fqzscrfm7vr)
- [http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/09/21/5](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/09/21/5)

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## What this record can't tell you

- Whether you run the affected software, and where
- Whether an attacker can actually reach and exploit it
- The misconfigurations that never get a CVE number
- What it would cost the business, ranked into what to fix first

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