Automation-controller: gain access to the k8s api server via job execution with container group

Description

An improper authorization flaw exists in the Ansible Automation Controller. This flaw allows an attacker using the k8S API server to send an HTTP request with a service account token mounted via `automountServiceAccountToken: true`, resulting in privilege escalation to a service account.

Scores

EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)

0.43% · top 63% of all CVEs (6 Nov 2026)

CISA SSVC

Exploitation: none · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total

The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 6.6.

Weakness

• CWE-285: Improper Authorization (opens in a new tab)All about CWE-285 and its CVEs

Affected products

• automation-controller

  • affected 4.5.10-1 – < 4.5.10-1

• Red Hat · Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for RHEL 8

  • unaffected 0:4.5.10-1.el8ap – < *

• Red Hat · Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for RHEL 8

  • unaffected 0:4.5.10-1.el8ap – < *

• Red Hat · Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for RHEL 9

  • unaffected 0:4.5.10-1.el9ap – < *

• Red Hat · Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for RHEL 9

  • unaffected 0:4.5.10-1.el9ap – < *

References (3)

• RHSA-2024:6428 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
• https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2024-6840 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_REDHAT
• RHBZ#2298492 (opens in a new tab)issue-trackingx_refsource_REDHAT

Sources

The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.

• CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
• CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
• NVD (opens in a new tab)
• FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
• OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
• GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
• CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)

Badge for a README or a ticket

[![CVE-2024-6840](https://trackcve.app/badge/CVE-2024-6840.svg)](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2024-6840)

Record last updated 5 Nov 2026, 14:43 UTC.