CVE-2023-33234 | Apache Airflow CNCF Kubernetes Provider: KubernetesPodOperator RCE via connection configuration

Arbitrary code execution in Apache Airflow CNCF Kubernetes provider version 5.0.0 allows user to change xcom sidecar image and resources via Airflow connection. In order to exploit this weakness, a user would already need elevated permissions (Op or Admin) to change the connection object in this manner.  Operators should upgrade to provider version 7.0.0 which has removed the vulnerability.

Published: 2023-05-30 Last update: 2026-07-02 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Modified，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2023-33234 is rated Moderate Risk (54.6/100): CVSS High severity, with medium exploitation likelihood (EPSS 1.53%). Review affected assets and schedule remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2023-33234

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-06-15 0.77% 1.53% +0.76%
2 2026-05-31 0.45% 0.77% +0.31%
3 2026-02-22 — 0.45% —

Full EPSS history (11 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2023-33234

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
7.2 3.1 HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:H)
They need powerful rights—admin, root, or similar—before this pays off.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 1.2 5.9 [email protected]
7.2 3.1 HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:H)
They need powerful rights—admin, root, or similar—before this pays off.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 1.2 5.9 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2023-33234

GitHub Security Advisory for CVE-2023-33234

GHSA-2rx4-9f5h-9gjf · Severity: high · Ecosystem: pip — Apache Airflow CNCF Kubernetes Provider: KubernetesPodOperator RCE via connection configuration

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2023-33234

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
apache apache-airflow-providers-cncf-kubernetes >= 5.0.0, < 7.0.0 cpe:2.3:a:apache:apache-airflow-providers-cncf-kubernetes:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2023-33234

cvelogic Threat Intelligence