# CVE-2026-52902: Awxkit: path traversal via yaml !include directive

> Attackers can read arbitrary local YAML files via path traversal in awxkit when users import malicious YAML configurations.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 24 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g29c-rgq6-gxgj, PYSEC-2026-3550

## What is CVE-2026-52902?

CVE-2026-52902 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2, published on 9 Jun 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A path traversal vulnerability was found in awxkit, the CLI tool for AWX. The YAML !include directive does not sanitize file paths, allowing an attacker to craft a malicious YAML file that reads arbitrary YAML-formatted files from the local filesystem when a user imports it using "awx --conf.format yaml import". This is a client-side vulnerability requiring user interaction.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-52902?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including awxkit.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `awxkit` | PyPI | All versions to 24.6.1 | None |
| `awxkit` | PyPI | All versions to 24.6.1 | None |
| `awxkit` | PyPI | All versions to 24.6.1 | None |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-52902?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-52902 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-52902 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-52902 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-52902 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2, published on 9 Jun 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-52902 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- awxkit (PyPI): affected all versions up to 24.6.1; no fix listed
- awxkit (PyPI): affected all versions up to 24.6.1; no fix listed
- awxkit (PyPI): affected all versions up to 24.6.1; no fix listed

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-2026-52902/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-52902/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-52902
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-52902
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-52902

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-52902/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.