CVE-2026-84691

Automation-controller: automation-controller-container: automation-controller: format string injection in the api 4xx error log setting discloses django secret_key and database credentials to an administrator

Published Sep 23, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 8.7 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
A flaw was found in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform's automation-
controller. The setting that formats the log message emitted for API 4XX errors
is an administrator-controlled Python format-string template that is rendered
with a live user object as an argument. Because Python string formatting permits
attribute and item traversal on its arguments, an administrator can craft a
template that walks from the user object into the application settings and reads
the Django secret key and the database password. The formatted message is written
to a logger that can be forwarded to an external log aggregator, whose destination
is also administrator-controlled, allowing the secrets to be sent off the host. An
authenticated administrator can thereby obtain the master encryption key used to
protect all stored credentials and the database service password, enabling offline
decryption of every stored credential, forgery of user sessions, and direct
access to the controller database.

Remediation

Vendor Workaround

Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base, or stability.

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories available
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform:2 cpe:/a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform:2.7::el9
References
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform:2.5::el8
cpe:/a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform:2.5::el9
cpe:/a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform_developer:2.5::el8
cpe:/a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform_developer:2.5::el9
cpe:/a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform_inside:2.5::el8
cpe:/a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform_inside:2.5::el9
References
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Redhat ansible Automation Platform Developer
Redhat ansible Automation Platform Inside
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform:2.6::el10
cpe:/a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform:2.6::el9
cpe:/a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform_developer:2.6::el10
cpe:/a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform_developer:2.6::el9
cpe:/a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform_inside:2.6::el9
Vendors & Products Redhat ansible Automation Platform Developer
Redhat ansible Automation Platform Inside
References
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A flaw was found in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform's automation- controller. The setting that formats the log message emitted for API 4XX errors is an administrator-controlled Python format-string template that is rendered with a live user object as an argument. Because Python string formatting permits attribute and item traversal on its arguments, an administrator can craft a template that walks from the user object into the application settings and reads the Django secret key and the database password. The formatted message is written to a logger that can be forwarded to an external log aggregator, whose destination is also administrator-controlled, allowing the secrets to be sent off the host. An authenticated administrator can thereby obtain the master encryption key used to protect all stored credentials and the database service password, enabling offline decryption of every stored credential, forgery of user sessions, and direct access to the controller database.
Title Automation-controller: automation-controller-container: automation-controller: format string injection in the api 4xx error log setting discloses django secret_key and database credentials to an administrator
First Time appeared Redhat
Redhat ansible Automation Platform
Weaknesses CWE-134
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform:2
Vendors & Products Redhat
Redhat ansible Automation Platform
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.7, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
redhat
Published
Updated
Nov 4, 2026, 11:49 PM
Reserved
Sep 1, 2026, 11:02 PM
Status
Awaiting Analysis
Published
Sep 23, 2026, 8:17 PM
Modified
Nov 5, 2026, 12:17 AM
Severity
Important
Public date
Sep 23, 2026, 12:00 AM