CVE-2026-24098 is a security vulnerability classified under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor) affecting Apache Airflow versions before 3.1.7. Apache Airflow is a widely used open-source platform for programmatically authoring, scheduling, and monitoring workflows, often employed in data engineering and analytics pipelines. The vulnerability arises because authenticated users who have permission to access one or more specific DAGs can view import errors generated by other DAGs to which they do not have access. Import errors typically contain detailed information about the DAG's code, environment, or dependencies, potentially exposing sensitive internal implementation details or configuration data. This unintended information disclosure could be leveraged by attackers to gain insights into the system, identify weaknesses, or craft targeted attacks. The flaw does not allow unauthorized users to access DAGs directly but leaks error information across permission boundaries within the UI. The issue was addressed in Apache Airflow version 3.1.7, which restricts error visibility appropriately. No public exploits or active exploitation have been reported, indicating limited current threat activity. However, the vulnerability's presence in a critical orchestration tool used by many organizations makes timely patching essential to prevent information leakage that could facilitate further compromise.

For European organizations, the exposure of import errors between DAGs can lead to unintended disclosure of sensitive operational or configuration details, potentially aiding attackers in reconnaissance and lateral movement within data pipelines. Organizations relying on Apache Airflow for critical data workflows, especially in sectors like finance, healthcare, telecommunications, and manufacturing, could face increased risk of targeted attacks if adversaries gain insights into internal processes. While the vulnerability does not directly allow execution of arbitrary code or data manipulation, the confidentiality breach can undermine trust and compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR. Additionally, exposure of internal error details could reveal software versions, environment configurations, or credentials inadvertently included in error messages, increasing the attack surface. The requirement for authenticated access limits the scope to insiders or compromised accounts, but insider threats or credential theft scenarios remain plausible. Overall, the impact is moderate but significant enough to warrant prompt remediation to maintain operational security and regulatory compliance.

The primary mitigation is to upgrade Apache Airflow to version 3.1.7 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed by properly restricting import error visibility to authorized DAGs only. Organizations should implement strict access controls and regularly audit user permissions to ensure that only necessary users have DAG access. Monitoring and logging of Airflow UI access can help detect anomalous behavior or unauthorized attempts to view DAG information. Employing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for Airflow user accounts reduces the risk of credential compromise. Additionally, organizations should review their DAG error handling and logging configurations to avoid including sensitive information in error messages. Segmentation of Airflow environments and limiting network access to trusted users further reduces exposure. Finally, integrating vulnerability management processes to track and apply Airflow updates promptly will prevent exploitation of similar issues in the future.