CVE-2025-53862 is a vulnerability identified in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2, where three API endpoints are accessible without proper authentication and return verbose responses containing sensitive system information. Ansible Automation Platform is widely used for IT automation, configuration management, and orchestration. The flaw allows a malicious user with network access to these API endpoints to retrieve data that may reveal important system details, potentially aiding further reconnaissance or targeted attacks. The vulnerability does not require user interaction but does require some level of privileges (as indicated by the CVSS vector's PR:L), meaning the attacker must have limited privileges or access to the network where the API is exposed. The CVSS score is 3.5 (low severity), reflecting limited confidentiality impact and no integrity or availability impact. The vulnerability is unauthenticated in terms of API response verbosity but requires some privilege level to access the endpoints. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or fixes have been linked yet. The issue primarily concerns information disclosure, which can be leveraged in multi-stage attacks but does not directly compromise system integrity or availability.

For European organizations, the exposure of sensitive system information through these API endpoints could facilitate reconnaissance activities by threat actors, increasing the risk of targeted attacks such as privilege escalation, lateral movement, or supply chain compromise. Organizations relying heavily on Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2 for managing critical infrastructure or sensitive environments may face increased risk if attackers gather configuration details, system architecture, or credentials inadvertently exposed via these endpoints. Although the direct impact is low, the information disclosure can be a stepping stone for more severe attacks, especially in sectors with high automation reliance such as finance, manufacturing, telecommunications, and government. The risk is heightened in environments where network segmentation is weak or where API endpoints are exposed beyond trusted internal networks. Given the automation platform’s role in orchestrating multiple systems, any compromise or reconnaissance could have cascading effects on operational security.

European organizations should immediately audit their Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2 deployments to identify exposure of the vulnerable API endpoints. Network-level controls such as firewall rules or API gateways should restrict access to these endpoints strictly to trusted administrators and internal systems. Implement strong authentication and authorization mechanisms for API access, ensuring that verbose responses are not returned to unauthorized users. Monitoring and logging API access can help detect anomalous or unauthorized queries. Until patches are available, consider disabling or restricting the affected API endpoints if feasible. Additionally, conduct internal penetration testing to verify that sensitive information is not inadvertently exposed. Organizations should stay updated with Red Hat advisories for patches or updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly. Finally, incorporate this vulnerability into threat modeling and incident response plans to prepare for potential exploitation scenarios.