CVE-2026-11837: Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') in Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
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.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
This vulnerability in the ansible.posix authorized_key module affects Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. The keyfile() function improperly handles symbolic links by using os.chown() instead of os.lchown() and opening files without O_NOFOLLOW. This allows an unprivileged local user to create symbolic links in their ~/.ssh directory that cause ownership changes to be applied to unintended files or directories when the authorized_key task is executed with root privileges, leading to local privilege escalation.
Potential Impact
An unprivileged local user can exploit this vulnerability to escalate privileges on the affected system by redirecting ownership changes to arbitrary system paths. This can compromise system integrity and confidentiality by allowing unauthorized modification of critical files or directories.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the Red Hat advisory at https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-11837 for current remediation guidance. Until a fix is available, avoid running the ansible.posix authorized_key task as root on untrusted user directories or environments where symbolic link manipulation is possible.
CVE-2026-11837: Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') in Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
Description
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.
CVSS v3.1
Score 7.3high
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
This vulnerability in the ansible.posix authorized_key module affects Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. The keyfile() function improperly handles symbolic links by using os.chown() instead of os.lchown() and opening files without O_NOFOLLOW. This allows an unprivileged local user to create symbolic links in their ~/.ssh directory that cause ownership changes to be applied to unintended files or directories when the authorized_key task is executed with root privileges, leading to local privilege escalation.
Potential Impact
An unprivileged local user can exploit this vulnerability to escalate privileges on the affected system by redirecting ownership changes to arbitrary system paths. This can compromise system integrity and confidentiality by allowing unauthorized modification of critical files or directories.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the Red Hat advisory at https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-11837 for current remediation guidance. Until a fix is available, avoid running the ansible.posix authorized_key task as root on untrusted user directories or environments where symbolic link manipulation is possible.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- redhat
- Date Reserved
- 2026-06-10T04:10:05.146Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
- Vendor Advisory Urls
- [{"url":"https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-11837","vendor":"Red Hat"}]
Threat ID: 6a28f1e98dd33fbd85e9443d
Added to database: 6/10/2026, 5:11:05 AM
Last enriched: 6/10/2026, 5:30:50 AM
Last updated: 6/10/2026, 2:48:04 PM
Views: 23
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