CVE-2026-84470 Automation-controller: automation-controller-container: automation-controller/awx: bulk job launch checks instance_groups at read level instead of use level, allowing execution-placement authorization bypass

Description

A flaw was found in Ansible Automation Platform's automation-controller (AWX). The Bulk Job Launch API (POST /api/v2/bulk/job_launch/) authorizes the requested instance_groups with only a read-level permission check, whereas the standard single-job launch path requires use-level permission on the same field. A principal that holds read (but not use) permission on an instance group -- for example the built-in read-only System Auditor role -- together with execute permission on a job template can launch bulk jobs onto instance groups they are not authorized to use, bypassing execution-placement isolation.

Exploitable remotely over the network, with an ordinary account and without any user action; the impact on data or service is limited.

Attack vector

Network

Attack complexity

Low

Privileges required

Low

Interaction

None

Scope

Changed

Confidentiality

None

Integrity

Low

Availability

Low

Affected products and versions