CVE-2023-5115Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Arbitrary file overwrite via unsanitized symlink targets

Published Dec 18, 2023 · Updated Nov 20, 2025

Path traversal in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.3 and 2.4 allows attackers to overwrite files through a malicious role archive. During ansible-galaxy role installation, archive extraction sanitized member names but not symlink linkname targets, so a later member could write through an absolute symlink. Exploitation requires a user to install the crafted role, and the overwrite is limited to files accessible to that user's account.

CVSS severity6.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.86%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.3 and 2.4 allows attackers to overwrite files through a malicious role archive. During ansible-galaxy role installation, archive extraction sanitized member names but not symlink linkname targets, so a later member could write through an absolute symlink. Exploitation requires a user to install the crafted role, and the overwrite is limited to files accessible to that user's account.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-5115
Published
Dec 18, 2023
Updated
Nov 20, 2025
Vendor
Red Hat
Product
Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform
Classifications
CWE-36, CWE-22, T1204.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 18, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 20, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected versions are unavailable in this record. Check the vendor advisory for version and patch details.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Red Hat · Red Hat Ansible Automation PlatformAffected versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.3GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:H/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-36Absolute Path Traversal
CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1204.002Malicious File

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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