---
id: CVE-2026-11837
title: >-
  A local privilege escalation vulnerability was found in the ansible.posix
  authorized_key module
summary: >-
  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.…
severity: high
cvss: 7.3
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-59
vendor: Red Hat
product: rhc-worker-playbook
affected:
  - rhc-worker-playbook (all versions)
  - rhel-system-roles
  - rhc-worker-playbook (all versions)
  - rhel-system-roles
  - rhc-worker-playbook (all versions)
  - rhel-system-roles
  - ansible-collection-ansible-posix (all versions)
  - ansible-collection-ansible-posix
published: '2026-06-10'
updated: '2026-10-13'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-13T21:17:36.880'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-11837'
references:
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:79112'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:80508'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:82339'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-11837'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2487424'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-11837'
    label: 0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2487424'
    label: 0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-11837.json
    label: 0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-11837'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-11837'
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:42946'
    label: 'RHSA-2026:42946'
tags:
  - nvd
  - exploit-available
  - cve.org
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
epss: 0.00163
epssPercentile: 0.05462
exploits:
  github: 1
  githubRepos:
    - 'https://github.com/M8seven/cve-2026-11837-ansible-posix-authorized-key'
  checkedAt: '2026-10-27T16:59:15.487Z'
exploitAvailable: true
ssvc:
  exploitation: none
  automatable: 'no'
  technicalImpact: total
  timestamp: '2026-06-10T13:57:35.655997Z'
ingestedAt: '2026-09-08T18:07:34.884Z'
patched:
  - enterprise_linux_appstream_eus_v_10_0
  - enterprise_linux_appstream_aus_v_8_6
  - enterprise_linux_appstream_eus_extension_v_8_6
  - enterprise_linux_appstream_e4s_v_8_8
  - enterprise_linux_appstream_tus_v_8_8
---

## Overview

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.

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.

## Vendor advisories

- **RHSA-2026:79112** · Red Hat · fixed in: Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v. 10.0) · released 2026-10-08 · [advisory](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:79112)
- **RHSA-2026:80508** · Red Hat · fixed in: Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream AUS (v.8.6), Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS EXTENSION (v.8.6) · released 2026-10-12 · [advisory](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:80508)
- **RHSA-2026:82339** · Red Hat · fixed in: Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream E4S (v.8.8), Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream TUS (v.8.8) · released 2026-10-13 · [advisory](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:82339)
- **Red Hat VEX** · Important · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenStack Platform 17.1 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenStack Platform 17.1 · updated 2026-10-13 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-11837.json)