CVE-2026-11837

Ansible-collection-ansible-posix: ansible.posix authorized_key: local privilege escalation via symlink-following chown

publishedCWE-59

A local privilege escalation vulnerability was found in the ansible.posix authorized_key module. The module's keyfile() function uses os.chown() instead of os.lchown() and opens files without O_NOFOLLOW when managing SSH authorized keys. An unprivileged local user can pre-stage symbolic links in their ~/.ssh directory to redirect file ownership changes to arbitrary system paths when an operator runs the authorized_key task as root, leading to local privilege escalation.

Technical severity7.3 highCVSS 3.1 · CNA: redhat

Published2026-06-10Source updated 2026-11-04

Collected2026-11-042 attributed sources

Fixes and workarounds

Workaround

The following practices would help for avoiding exposure and mitigate this flaw: 1) Do not run the ansible.posix authorized_key module with elevated privileges against untrusted user accounts. 2) Validate that target user home directories do not contain unexpected symbolic links before running playbooks.

Source: CNA: redhat

Workaround

Source: ADP: redhat-SADP

Affected products and versions

Affected products, source version ranges and reporting authorities
Product	Versions	Authority
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 Red Hat `rhc-worker-playbook` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:0.2.10-1.el10_2; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10.0 Extended Update Support Red Hat `rhc-worker-playbook` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:0.2.3-6.el10_0.2; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Advanced Mission Critical Update Support Red Hat `rhc-worker-playbook` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:0.1.8-2.el8_6.1; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update Support Long-Life Add-On Red Hat `rhc-worker-playbook` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:0.1.8-2.el8_6.1; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Telecommunications Update Service Red Hat `rhc-worker-playbook` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:0.1.8-5.el8_8.1; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Update Services for SAP Solutions Red Hat `rhc-worker-playbook` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:0.1.8-5.el8_8.1; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 Red Hat `rhel-system-roles` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: unaffected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 Red Hat `rhc-worker-playbook` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 Red Hat `rhel-system-roles` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: unaffected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Red Hat `rhc-worker-playbook` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Red Hat `rhel-system-roles` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: unaffected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat OpenStack Platform 17.1 Red Hat `ansible-collection-ansible-posix` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat OpenStack Platform 18.0 Red Hat `ansible-collection-ansible-posix` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: unaffected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 Red Hat `rhc-worker-playbook` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: affected	ADP: redhat-SADP
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 Red Hat `rhel-system-roles` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: unaffected	ADP: redhat-SADP
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 Red Hat `rhc-worker-playbook` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: affected	ADP: redhat-SADP
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 Red Hat `rhel-system-roles` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: unaffected	ADP: redhat-SADP
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Red Hat `rhc-worker-playbook` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: affected	ADP: redhat-SADP
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Red Hat `rhel-system-roles` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: unaffected	ADP: redhat-SADP
Red Hat OpenStack Platform 17.1 Red Hat `ansible-collection-ansible-posix` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: affected	ADP: redhat-SADP
Red Hat OpenStack Platform 18.0 Red Hat `ansible-collection-ansible-posix` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: unaffected	ADP: redhat-SADP

Version ranges are source assertions. Check the vendor advisory and your installed configuration before determining exposure.

CVSS assessments

CVSS scores, vectors and reporting authorities
Version / score	Vector	Authority
3.1 / 7.3 high	`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`	CNA: redhat
3.1 / 7.3 high	`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`	ADP: redhat-SADP

Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

References

https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:42946CNA: redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:79112CNA: redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:80508CNA: redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:82339CNA: redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-11837CNA: redhat · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2487424CNA: redhat · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-11837ADP: redhat-SADP · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2487424ADP: redhat-SADP · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-11837.jsonADP: redhat-SADP · x_sadp-csaf-vex

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