CVE-2023-27524

Apache Superset versions up to and including 2.0.1 ship with a known, hard-coded default SECRET_KEY that signs all session cookies and encrypts sensitive data in the database. Installations that never changed this default value, contrary to the vendor's installation instructions, can be attacked over the network with no privileges or user interaction, because anyone who knows the public default key can forge valid, authenticated session cookies. By forging an administrator's session cookie, an attacker gains unauthorized access to Superset resources, and public proofs of concept demonstrate chaining this authentication bypass to remote code execution. Only deployments still using the default SECRET_KEY are affected; administrators who set a unique, strong key per the vendor instructions are not impacted. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: CISA added the issue to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2024-01-08, EPSS estimates a 97.4% probability of exploitation within 30 days, and public scans show thousands of exposed servers.

What to do: Upgrade Superset beyond 2.0.1 to a patched release (fixed in 2.1.0) and, critically, set a unique, strong random SECRET_KEY in superset_config.py or via the SUPERSET_SECRET_KEY environment variable on every deployment, since upgrading alone does not help if the well-known default key remains in use. If the default key was ever used, rotate it, invalidate existing sessions, and review affected servers—especially internet-exposed ones—for unauthorized access or code execution. Per CISA KEV, apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of affected installations.