In Apache Airflow’s milestone 3.0 release, the development team introduced a “write-only” model that restricts sensitive Connection fields, such as passwords, tokens, and private keys, to users with Connection Editing privileges.
Unfortunately, in version 3.0.3, this access control model was inadvertently bypassed, allowing any user with READ permissions to retrieve confidential data via both the UI and the REST API.
Security researchers discovered that API responses from the /connections/{conn_id} endpoint included the full values of sensitive attributes, regardless of the AIRFLOW__CORE__HIDE_SENSITIVE_VAR_CONN_FIELDS setting.
Similarly, the Airflow webserver displayed plaintext secret values in the Admin → Connections “Details” view for users lacking editing rights.
This regression stemmed from a flaw in the ORM serialization layer, specifically in the fields. extra, password, and related variables were not stripped from the response payload.
READ Permissions Now Grant Unintended Visibility to Secrets
This vulnerability poses a significant threat in environments where READ permissions are routinely granted for monitoring, auditing, or troubleshooting.
Attackers or compromised accounts with only reading privileges can harvest connection credentials, then leverage them to access production databases, cloud services, or other critical systems.
Because many organizations grant broad READ access to support teams or automated monitoring services, the exposure radius is considerable.
In response to CVE-2025-54831, the Apache Airflow project released version 3.0.4, which reinstates strict filtering at both the serialization and UI template layers.
The patch ensures that sensitive fields governed by AIRFLOW__CORE__HIDE_SENSITIVE_VAR_CONN_FIELDS remain masked for non-editor roles, returning only placeholder values on unauthorized read attempts.
To prevent disruption, administrators should also audit custom plugins and API clients for any direct references to sensitive attributes, as these may break or inadvertently log secret data after upgrading.
Recommended Actions
- Upgrade Without Delay: Install Apache Airflow 3.0.4 or newer to restore proper access controls.
- Rotate Exposed Credentials: Replace any passwords, tokens, or keys stored in Connections under version 3.0.3.
- Enforce Least Privilege: Review and tighten READ permissions on Connection objects across user roles.
- Secure Logging: Confirm that logging configurations do not capture sensitive connection information.
As Airflow continues to orchestrate essential data workflows in diverse organizations, CVE-2025-54831 underscores the importance of comprehensive access-control testing.
By promptly applying the 3.0.4 update, rotating exposed secrets, and adhering to the principle of least privilege, teams can mitigate the risk of unauthorized data disclosure.
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