Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for…: Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command
CVE-2026-84502 is a critical-severity improper neutralization of argument delimiters in a command vulnerability in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for RHEL 8 from Red Hat, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.9 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.63% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 51% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for RHEL 8 you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat | Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for RHEL 8 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for RHEL 9 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.5 for RHEL 8 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.5 for RHEL 9 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.6 for RHEL 9 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.6 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.7 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (redhat.com).
Official description
A flaw was found in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform's automation- controller. The Project scm_url field is not validated against values that begin with a dash and is stored and passed verbatim to the git SCM module. Because the module runs git ls-remote with the URL as a positional argument and without a "--" separator, a git project URL such as "--upload-pack=<command>:x" is interpreted by git as the --upload-pack option and executed via a shell. A user with permission to create or modify a project in a single organization can thereby execute arbitrary commands on the control-plane task pod, with output reflected through the project update stdout endpoint, leading to cross-tenant compromise and in-cluster lateral movement
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command
The product constructs a string for a command to be executed by a separate component in another control sphere, but it does not properly delimit the intended arguments, options, or switches within that command string.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Understand all the potential areas where untrusted inputs can enter your product: parameters or arguments, cookies, anything read from the network, environment variables, request headers as well as content, URL components, e-mail, files, databases, and any external systems that provide data to the application. Perform input validation at well-defined interfaces.
- Directly convert your input type into the expected data type, such as using a conversion function that translates a string into a number. After converting to the expected data type, ensure that the input's values fall within the expected range of allowable values and that multi-field consistencies are maintained.
- When exchanging data between components, ensure that both components are using the same character encoding. Ensure that the proper encoding is applied at each interface. Explicitly set the encoding you are using whenever the protocol allows you to do so.
More Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command vulnerabilities (CWE-88)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for RHEL 8
- 9.9 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 9.9 Critical severity
- 9.6 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command vulnerabilities
- 9.4 Critical severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
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