CVE-2020-10709Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Persistent authentication via ignored refresh-token expiration

Published May 27, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Insufficient session expiration in Red Hat Ansible Tower before 3.5.6 and 3.6.0 through 3.6.3 allows remote authenticated users to retain access. The OAuth2 token endpoint accepts refresh tokens after REFRESH_TOKEN_EXPIRE_SECONDS has elapsed and issues new access and refresh tokens. Exploitation requires a previously issued refresh token and preserves that token's authorized Tower access without granting broader privileges.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Insufficient session expiration in Red Hat Ansible Tower before 3.5.6 and 3.6.0 through 3.6.3 allows remote authenticated users to retain access. The OAuth2 token endpoint accepts refresh tokens after REFRESH_TOKEN_EXPIRE_SECONDS has elapsed and issues new access and refresh tokens. Exploitation requires a previously issued refresh token and preserves that token's authorized Tower access without granting broader privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-10709
Published
May 27, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Red Hat
Product
Red Hat Ansible Tower
Classifications
CWE-287, CWE-613, T1528
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 27, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=ansible_tower 3.6.4, ansible_tower 3.5.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Red Hat · Red Hat Ansible Towerversion=ansible_tower 3.6.4, ansible_tower 3.5.6

Published CVSS scores

7.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
3.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-287Improper Authentication
CWE-613Insufficient Session Expiration
T1528Steal Application Access Token

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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