# CVE-2026-71364: Awx: project archive extraction allows path traversal file writes

> Attackers can write arbitrary files via malicious archives in AWX, potentially achieving remote code execution on execution nodes.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 12 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** CVE-2026-104710, GHSA-6v7v-pp54-gr28

## What is CVE-2026-71364?

CVE-2026-71364 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.5 for RHEL 8, published on 24 Aug 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A path traversal vulnerability was found in AWX's project archive extraction. The project_archive action plugin extracts zip and tar archive members by joining the project directory path with the member filename without performing path normalization, boundary validation, or rejecting directory traversal sequences. A malicious archive containing members with path traversal components can write files to arbitrary locations on the execution node's filesystem outside the intended project directory. An attacker who controls the archive content, either through a compromised upstream source, a malicious archive URL, or a man-in-the-middle attack on a plain HTTP connection, can achieve arbitrary file writes as the user performing the extraction, potentially leading to remote code execution through mechanisms such as cron files, SSH authorized keys, or playbook content injection.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-71364?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-71364?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-71364 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-71364 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-71364 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-71364 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.5 for RHEL 8, published on 24 Aug 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-71364 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.5 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-2026-71364/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-71364/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-71364
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-71364
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-71364

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-71364/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.