The Apache Airflow Git provider runs git-over-SSH operations with StrictHostKeyChecking disabled by default, which disables SSH host-key verification. This design flaw (CWE-322) allows a man-in-the-middle attacker on the network path between an Airflow worker and the Git server to impersonate the server. Such an attacker could capture SSH deploy keys or inject malicious content into repositories cloned by Airflow. The vulnerability affects versions prior to 0.4.1. The fix involves changing the default behavior to verify host keys and requires upgrading to apache-airflow-providers-git 0.4.1 or later and configuring a known_hosts file.

An attacker capable of intercepting network traffic between an Airflow worker and the Git server can impersonate the Git server, potentially capturing sensitive SSH deploy keys and injecting malicious code into repositories used by Airflow. This compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the deployment process that relies on the Git provider for cloning repositories over SSH.

Upgrade the Apache Airflow Git provider to version 0.4.1 or later, which changes the default to verify SSH host keys. Additionally, configure a known_hosts file to enable proper SSH host-key verification. This remediation effectively mitigates the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks exploiting this vulnerability.