CVE-2026-11837

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

7.3 HighPublic exploitFix available

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.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector: Local
Complexity: Low
Privileges needed: Low
User interaction: Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Exploit likelihood

0.16%Up 0.1 points since Jun 10, 2026

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 7.3

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

Record: CVE-2026-11837
CVSS 3.1: 7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-59, CWE-59
Updated: 2026-11-04

EUVDEUVD-2026-35982 7.3

Record: EUVD-2026-35982
CVSS 3.1: 7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-04

GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-49qh-h4vj-mrgf 7.3

A local privilege escalation vulnerability was found in the ansible.posix authorized_key module....

Record: GHSA-49qh-h4vj-mrgf
CVSS 3.1: 7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-59
Updated: 2026-11-02

NVD 7.3

Record: CVE-2026-11837
CVSS 3.1: 7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-59
Updated: 2026-11-04

OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2026-11837 7.3

Record: DEBIAN-CVE-2026-11837
CVSS 3.1: 7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-05

OSVRHSA-2026:79112 7.3

Red Hat Security Advisory: rhc-worker-playbook security update

Record: RHSA-2026:79112
CVSS 3.1: 7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVRHSA-2026:80508 7.3

Red Hat Security Advisory: rhc-worker-playbook security update

Record: RHSA-2026:80508
CVSS 3.1: 7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVRHSA-2026:82339 7.3

Red Hat Security Advisory: rhc-worker-playbook security update

Record: RHSA-2026:82339
CVSS 3.1: 7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2026-11837 7.3

Record: UBUNTU-CVE-2026-11837
CVSS 3.1: 7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
Package	Affected	Fixed
`ansible` Debian:12	All versions, plus listed versions 10.0.0+dfsg-110.0.1+dfsg-110.1.0+dfsg-110.5.0+dfsg-110.5.0+dfsg-2 Show 25 moreShow less 10.6.0+dfsg-111.1.0+dfsg-111.2.0+dfsg-112.0.0+dfsg-112.0.0~a1+dfsg-112.0.0~a2+dfsg-112.0.0~a4+dfsg-112.0.0~a6+dfsg-112.0.0~b1+dfsg-112.0.0~b2+dfsg-112.0.0~b3+dfsg-112.0.0~b5+dfsg-112.2.0+dfsg-113.1.0+dfsg-113.4.0+dfsg-114.0.0+dfsg-114.0.0~a4+dfsg-114.4.0+dfsg-17.3.0+dfsg-17.7.0+dfsg-17.7.0+dfsg-27.7.0+dfsg-37.7.0+dfsg-3+deb12u19.4.0+dfsg-19.5.1+dfsg-1	None known
`ansible` Debian:13	All versions, plus listed versions 12.0.0+dfsg-0+deb13u112.0.0+dfsg-112.0.0~a6+dfsg-112.0.0~b1+dfsg-112.0.0~b2+dfsg-1 Show 9 moreShow less 12.0.0~b3+dfsg-112.0.0~b5+dfsg-0+deb13u112.0.0~b5+dfsg-112.2.0+dfsg-113.1.0+dfsg-113.4.0+dfsg-114.0.0+dfsg-114.0.0~a4+dfsg-114.4.0+dfsg-1	None known
`ansible` Debian:14	All versions, plus listed versions 12.0.0+dfsg-112.0.0~a6+dfsg-112.0.0~b1+dfsg-112.0.0~b2+dfsg-112.0.0~b3+dfsg-1 Show 7 moreShow less 12.0.0~b5+dfsg-112.2.0+dfsg-113.1.0+dfsg-113.4.0+dfsg-114.0.0+dfsg-114.0.0~a4+dfsg-114.4.0+dfsg-1	None known
`rhc-worker-playbook` Red Hat:enterprise_linux_eus:10.0	before 0:0.2.3-6.el10_0.2	0:0.2.3-6.el10_0.2
`rhc-worker-playbook-debuginfo` Red Hat:enterprise_linux_eus:10.0	before 0:0.2.3-6.el10_0.2	0:0.2.3-6.el10_0.2
`rhc-worker-playbook-debugsource` Red Hat:enterprise_linux_eus:10.0	before 0:0.2.3-6.el10_0.2	0:0.2.3-6.el10_0.2
`rhc-worker-playbook` Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.6::appstream	before 0:0.1.8-2.el8_6.1	0:0.1.8-2.el8_6.1
`rhc-worker-playbook` Red Hat:rhel_eus_long_life:8.6::appstream	before 0:0.1.8-2.el8_6.1	0:0.1.8-2.el8_6.1
`rhc-worker-playbook` Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.8::appstream	before 0:0.1.8-5.el8_8.1	0:0.1.8-5.el8_8.1
`rhc-worker-playbook` Red Hat:rhel_tus:8.8::appstream	before 0:0.1.8-5.el8_8.1	0:0.1.8-5.el8_8.1

Show 14 moreShow less

Affected packages
Package	Affected	Fixed
`ansible` Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 1.1+dfsg-11.3.4+dfsg-11.4.0+dfsg-11.4.1+dfsg-11.4.3+dfsg-1 Show 5 moreShow less 1.4.4+dfsg-11.5.4+dfsg-11.5.4+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1~esm11.5.4+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1~esm21.5.4+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1~esm3	None known
`ansible` Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 1.9.2+dfsg-21.9.4-12.0.0.2-22.0.0.2-2ubuntu12.0.0.2-2ubuntu1.1 Show 8 moreShow less 2.0.0.2-2ubuntu1.22.0.0.2-2ubuntu1.32.0.0.2-2ubuntu1.3+esm12.0.0.2-2ubuntu1.3+esm22.0.0.2-2ubuntu1.3+esm32.0.0.2-2ubuntu1.3+esm42.0.0.2-2ubuntu1.3+esm52.0.0.2-2ubuntu1.3+esm6	None known
`ansible` Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 2.3.1.0+dfsg-22.5.0+dfsg-12.5.1+dfsg-12.5.1+dfsg-1ubuntu0.12.5.1+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1+esm1 Show 4 moreShow less 2.5.1+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1+esm22.5.1+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1+esm32.5.1+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1+esm42.5.1+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1+esm5	None known
`ansible` Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 2.8.3+dfsg-12.8.6+dfsg-12.9.2+dfsg-12.9.4+dfsg-12.9.6+dfsg-12.9.6+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1~esm12.9.6+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1~esm22.9.6+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1~esm3	None known
`ansible-core` Ubuntu:22.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 2.12.0-12.12.0-1ubuntu0.1	None known
`ansible` Ubuntu:Pro:22.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 2.10.7+merged+base+2.10.8+dfsg-12.10.7+merged+base+2.10.8+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1~esm12.10.7+merged+base+2.10.8+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1~esm4	None known
`ansible` Ubuntu:24.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 7.7.0+dfsg-17.7.0+dfsg-39.2.0+dfsg-0ubuntu49.2.0+dfsg-0ubuntu5	None known
`ansible-core` Ubuntu:24.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 2.14.9-22.14.11-12.14.11-22.14.13-12.16.3-0ubuntu12.16.3-0ubuntu2	None known
`ansible` Ubuntu:25.10	All versions, plus listed versions 11.2.0+dfsg-112.0.0~a2+dfsg-112.0.0~a4+dfsg-112.0.0~a6+dfsg-112.0.0~b1+dfsg-1	None known
`ansible-core` Ubuntu:25.10	All versions, plus listed versions 2.18.1-4ubuntu12.19.0~beta4-1ubuntu12.19.0-1ubuntu1	None known
`ansible` Ubuntu:26.10	All versions, plus listed versions 13.1.0+dfsg-1ubuntu113.4.0+dfsg-1	None known
`ansible-core` Ubuntu:26.10	All versions, plus listed versions 2.20.1-12.21.1~rc1-12.21.1~rc1-22.21.1~rc1-2ubuntu12.22.0~beta2-1	None known
`ansible` Ubuntu:26.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 12.0.0~b1+dfsg-112.0.0+dfsg-112.2.0+dfsg-113.1.0+dfsg-113.1.0+dfsg-1ubuntu1	None known
`ansible-core` Ubuntu:26.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 2.19.0-1ubuntu12.19.4-12.20.1-1	None known

Public exploits

Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.

Public exploits
Source	Link	Date
PoC in GitHub	M8seven/cve-2026-11837-ansible-posix-authorized-key	2026-06-23

History

History
Recorded	Changed	Sources
Nov 4, 2026	facts	CVE List, EUVD
Nov 2, 2026	first indexed	CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV, PoC in GitHub

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2026-11837 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.3) in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, published June 10, 2026. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.16%, the 5th percentile. Fixed in rhc-worker-playbook 0:0.2.3-6.el10_0.2.

References

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