CVE-2025-62503 is a security vulnerability identified in Apache Airflow version 3.0.0, an open-source platform widely used for orchestrating complex workflows. The vulnerability stems from improper privilege enforcement in the Airflow API that manages Pools, Connections, and Variables—key components controlling resource allocation, external system connections, and configuration parameters respectively. Specifically, users who have been granted CREATE privileges but not UPDATE privileges can exploit the bulk create API's overwrite functionality to update existing records. This occurs because the API does not adequately verify the user's UPDATE permissions before allowing an overwrite action, resulting in execution with unnecessary privileges (CWE-250). This flaw can lead to unauthorized modification of critical configuration data, potentially disrupting workflow execution, causing data integrity issues, or enabling further privilege escalation within the Airflow environment. No CVSS score has been assigned yet, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on October 30, 2025, with no official patches currently available, highlighting the need for immediate mitigation through configuration and access control adjustments.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for enterprises and public sector entities that rely on Apache Airflow for automating and managing data pipelines and business-critical workflows. Unauthorized updates to Pools, Connections, or Variables could lead to misconfiguration of resource allocations, disruption of data flows, or exposure of sensitive connection information. This could degrade operational availability, compromise data integrity, and potentially facilitate lateral movement or privilege escalation within the affected environment. Given the central role of Airflow in data orchestration, such disruptions could cascade into broader IT service interruptions or data processing errors. Organizations in sectors such as finance, telecommunications, healthcare, and government—where workflow automation is integral—may face increased risk of operational downtime and compliance violations if this vulnerability is exploited.

Since no official patch is currently available, European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Review and tighten Airflow user permissions, ensuring that users with CREATE privileges on Pools, Connections, and Variables do not have unnecessary access that could be exploited; 2) Restrict API access to trusted users and systems only, employing network segmentation and strong authentication mechanisms; 3) Monitor API usage logs for unusual bulk create operations or overwrite actions that could indicate exploitation attempts; 4) Implement additional application-layer controls or custom validation logic to enforce strict privilege checks on bulk create API calls; 5) Consider temporarily disabling or restricting use of the bulk create API with overwrite functionality until a patch is released; 6) Stay informed on Apache Airflow security advisories and apply official patches promptly once available; 7) Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focused on privilege escalation vectors within Airflow deployments.