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CVE-2026-50203: Apache Airflow SFTP provider: Path traversal in SFTPHook.retrieve_directory allows local file write outside the destination directory via malicious server-supplied directory-entry names

• Severity: critical (CVSS 9.1 v3.1)
• Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
• EPSS: 0.6% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
• Public exploit or detection template: none known
• Published: 2026-06-17 · updated 2026-10-26
• Weakness: CWE-22

Description

A path traversal in the SFTP provider (`SFTPHook.retrieve_directory` / `SFTPOperator(operation=get)`) let a malicious or compromised remote SFTP server write files outside the configured local destination directory via crafted directory-entry names. No Airflow account is required — the attack surface is any deployment downloading directories from an untrusted SFTP server. Upgrade `apache-airflow-providers-sftp` to 5.8.1 or later.

Affected products

• Apache Software Foundation Apache Airflow SFTP provider: before 5.8.1 — fixed in 5.8.1

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Apache Software Foundation Apache Airflow SFTP provider 5.8.1. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

• https://github.com/apache/airflow/pull/67985
• https://lists.apache.org/thread/7f4b284oh44c1n95oq8mh1qc7y1lr9dx
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/06/16/3

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