CVE-2026-84721

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Server-Side Request Forgery in Ansible Automation Platform

Publication date: 2026-09-23

Last updated on: 2026-09-24

Assigner: redhat-SADP

Description

A server-side request forgery flaw was found in the Ansible Automation Platform automation-controller email notification backend. The email backend passes the user-supplied SMTP host and port from a notification template directly to the SMTP client without validating that the target is not an internal, loopback, link-local, or reserved address. An authenticated user with organization notification-admin permission can create or modify an email notification template pointing at an arbitrary internal address, trigger a test, and have the controller task process open a raw TCP connection to that address. The resulting connection error is reflected back through the notification record, providing a three-state internal port-scan oracle (open, closed, filtered) over the control-plane's cluster network, including the in-cluster Kubernetes API. When a shared organization template holds a stored SMTP password, redirecting the host can also cause that credential to be transmitted to an attacker-controlled server.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

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Meta Information

Published

2026-09-23

Last Modified

2026-09-24

Generated

2026-10-14

AI Q&A

2026-09-24

EPSS Evaluated

2026-10-12

NVD

CVE-2026-84721

EUVD

EUVD-2026-85615

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
redhat	ansible_automation_platform	*
red_hat	ansible_automation_platform	2.5
red_hat	ansible_automation_platform	2.6
red_hat	ansible_automation_platform	From 2.7 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-918	The web server receives a URL or similar request from an upstream component and retrieves the contents of this URL, but it does not sufficiently ensure that the request is being sent to the expected destination.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This is a server-side request forgery (SSRF) flaw in the Ansible Automation Platform's automation-controller email notification backend. It allows an authenticated user with specific permissions to create or modify an email notification template that points to an arbitrary internal address. When triggered, the system attempts to open a raw TCP connection to that address without validating if it is internal, loopback, or reserved. This creates a port-scanning oracle that can reveal open, closed, or filtered ports on internal services like the Kubernetes API.

Detection Guidance

Check Ansible Automation Platform logs for unusual SMTP connection attempts or errors in notification templates. Monitor network traffic from the automation-controller-task pod for outbound connections to internal or unexpected addresses. Review notification template configurations for unauthorized modifications or suspicious SMTP host/port values.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to scan internal network services, potentially exposing sensitive information about your infrastructure. If a shared organization template contains stored SMTP credentials, the attacker could also capture those credentials by redirecting the SMTP host to a server they control. This could lead to unauthorized access to email systems or other services using those credentials.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, violating confidentiality requirements in GDPR and HIPAA. The ability to scan internal systems and exfiltrate credentials may result in data breaches, triggering compliance violations and potential regulatory penalties. Organizations must address this to maintain compliance with data protection standards.

Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade to a supported version of Ansible Automation Platform with SSRF validation for all notification backends. If upgrading is not immediately possible, restrict organization notification-admin permissions to trusted users only. Validate and sanitize SMTP host/port inputs in notification templates to block internal, loopback, link-local, or reserved addresses.

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