# CVE-2024-6840: Automation-controller: gain access to the k8s api server via job execution with container group

> Attackers can escalate privileges to a service account by exploiting improper authorization in Ansible Automation Controller when service account tokens are automatically mounted.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 12 Sep 2024
- **Updated:** 20 Nov 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-64w6-7xrg-vmhg

## What is CVE-2024-6840?

CVE-2024-6840 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for RHEL 8, published on 12 Sep 2024. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official 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.

Weakness: CWE-285 (Improper Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-6840?


## How do I fix CVE-2024-6840?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-6840 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-6840 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-6840 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-6840 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for RHEL 8, published on 12 Sep 2024. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-6840 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for RHEL 8. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-6840/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-6840/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-6840
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-6840
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-6840

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-6840/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.