CVE-2025-53861 is a security vulnerability identified in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2, involving the cleartext transmission of sensitive information. Specifically, the flaw arises because sensitive cookies are transmitted without appropriate security flags (such as Secure and HttpOnly) over non-encrypted channels (HTTP instead of HTTPS). This insecure transmission allows attackers positioned on the network path to perform Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks, intercepting and reading sensitive cookie data. Additionally, the lack of proper cookie security flags can facilitate Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks, where malicious scripts can access or manipulate these cookies, potentially leading to session hijacking or unauthorized access. The vulnerability does not require user interaction or authentication to be exploited but has a low CVSS score of 3.1, reflecting limited impact primarily on confidentiality without affecting integrity or availability. The attack vector is adjacent network (AV:A), meaning the attacker must have access to the local network segment. The complexity is high (AC:H), indicating exploitation is not straightforward. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or fixes have been linked yet. This vulnerability highlights a misconfiguration or design oversight in cookie handling within the Ansible Automation Platform's web interface or API endpoints, where sensitive session or authentication cookies are exposed over unencrypted HTTP connections, increasing the risk of data leakage and session compromise.

For European organizations using Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2, this vulnerability poses a confidentiality risk where sensitive session cookies could be intercepted by attackers on the same local network or adjacent network segments. This could lead to unauthorized access to automation workflows, configuration management, or deployment processes controlled by Ansible, potentially exposing sensitive infrastructure details or operational data. While the vulnerability does not directly affect integrity or availability, the compromise of session cookies could enable attackers to impersonate legitimate users, escalating to further attacks within the environment. European enterprises with distributed or hybrid network environments, especially those with remote offices or shared network segments, may be more exposed. Additionally, organizations in regulated sectors such as finance, healthcare, or critical infrastructure may face compliance risks if sensitive data is leaked due to this vulnerability. However, the low severity and high attack complexity reduce the likelihood of widespread exploitation, especially in environments enforcing encrypted communications and network segmentation.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should: 1) Enforce HTTPS for all web interfaces and API endpoints of the Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform to ensure encryption of all transmitted data, including cookies. 2) Configure cookies with Secure and HttpOnly flags to prevent transmission over unencrypted channels and reduce exposure to client-side script access. 3) Conduct network segmentation to limit access to the Ansible platform's management interfaces only to trusted network segments and authorized personnel. 4) Monitor network traffic for unencrypted HTTP sessions and anomalous access patterns that could indicate attempted interception or exploitation. 5) Apply any forthcoming patches or updates from Red Hat promptly once available. 6) Review and update internal security policies to mandate encrypted communications for all sensitive management tools. 7) Educate administrators and users about the risks of using unsecured connections and the importance of verifying HTTPS usage. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on configuration hardening, network controls, and proactive monitoring tailored to the specific nature of this vulnerability.