CVE-2021-4112: A flaw was found in ansible-tower where the default installation is vulnerable to job isolation escape

This month

HIGH 8.8WATCHLISTDOWNGRADEMITIGATEDOWNGRADE

CVE-2021-4112 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 8.8) affecting ansible automation platform early access, ansible automation platform text-only advisories, ansible tower. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

A flaw was found in ansible-tower where the default installation is vulnerable to job isolation escape. This flaw allows an attacker to elevate the privilege from a low privileged user to an AWX user from outside the isolated environment.

Why this priority

High severity
On your watchlist

No fix is published yet: follow the downgrade or mitigation steps.

Risk facts

CVSS score	8.8 (High)
Attack vector	Local
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	Low
User interaction	None
EPSS exploit chance	0.2% (top 84%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-552
Published	2022-08-25
Last modified	2026-06-17

Publisher (CNA): Red Hat, Inc. · Vendor: redhat

Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2022-08-25 20:15 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-17 04:19 UTCUpdated Record last modified

redhat ansible automation platform early access DOWNGRADE

Affected: 2.0

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 2.0

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy ansible-automation-platform-early-access || rpm -q ansible-automation-platform-early-access || ansible-automation-platform-early-access --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 2.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison ansible-automation-platform-early-access sudo apt install ansible-automation-platform-early-access=<VERSION_BEFORE_2.0> sudo apt-mark hold ansible-automation-platform-early-access

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list ansible-automation-platform-early-access sudo dnf downgrade ansible-automation-platform-early-access-<VERSION_BEFORE_2.0> sudo dnf versionlock add ansible-automation-platform-early-access

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

redhat ansible automation platform text-only advisories MITIGATE

Affected: all versions

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy ansible-automation-platform-text-only-advisories || rpm -q ansible-automation-platform-text-only-advisories || ansible-automation-platform-text-only-advisories --version

No fixed or unaffected release known

Apply the vendor mitigation from the advisory, disable the affected feature, or restrict network access.

redhat ansible tower DOWNGRADE

Affected: 3.0

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 3.0

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy ansible-tower || rpm -q ansible-tower || ansible-tower --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 3.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison ansible-tower sudo apt install ansible-tower=<VERSION_BEFORE_3.0> sudo apt-mark hold ansible-tower

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list ansible-tower sudo dnf downgrade ansible-tower-<VERSION_BEFORE_3.0> sudo dnf versionlock add ansible-tower

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

redhat ansible automation platform DOWNGRADE

Affected: 2.0 · 2.1

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 2.0

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy ansible-automation-platform || rpm -q ansible-automation-platform || ansible-automation-platform --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 2.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison ansible-automation-platform sudo apt install ansible-automation-platform=<VERSION_BEFORE_2.0> sudo apt-mark hold ansible-automation-platform

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list ansible-automation-platform sudo dnf downgrade ansible-automation-platform-<VERSION_BEFORE_2.0> sudo dnf versionlock add ansible-automation-platform

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2021-4112?

ansible automation platform early access: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation; ansible automation platform text-only advisories: mitigate or apply the listed mitigation; ansible tower: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2021-4112 being exploited?

CVE-2021-4112 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2021-4112 affect?

CVE-2021-4112 affects ansible automation platform early access, ansible automation platform text-only advisories, ansible tower. Severity is high (CVSS 8.8). A flaw was found in ansible-tower where the default installation is vulnerable to job isolation escape. This flaw allows an attacker to elevate the privilege from a low privileged user to an AWX user from outside the isolated environment.

How urgent is CVE-2021-4112?

Priority 40/100. High severity; On your watchlist

Software pages

Ansible vulnerabilities

Related CVEs

CVE-2021-3620 MEDIUM 5.5 DOWNGRADE UPGRADE A flaw was found in Ansible Engine's ansible-connection module, where sensitive information such as the Ansibl

References

← Back to latest CVEs