CVE-2026-103868 in Ansible Automation Platform
Summary
by MITRE • 10/07/2026
A flaw was found in pulp-container when it authenticates to an upstream registry. Basic and bearer credentials from one remote are reused for later downloads in the same worker. A user who can sync a container remote, and can point that remote at a server they control, receives the username, password, or bearer token stored for a different remote, and can reuse that credential at the upstream registry. Content stored in Pulp is not changed, and the service is not stopped.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2026
The vulnerability identified in pulp-container represents a critical authentication flaw within the container management platform's handling of credentials during synchronization operations with external registries. This issue stems from improper isolation of credential contexts across different remote configurations within the same worker process. Specifically, when authenticating to an upstream registry, the application incorrectly reuses basic or bearer credentials associated with one remote for subsequent downloads linked to a completely different remote. This behavior violates fundamental security principles regarding context separation and ensures that authentication data intended for specific endpoints is not inadvertently exposed to other contexts operating within the same execution environment.
From a technical perspective, the flaw resides in how pulp-container manages session state or credential storage during parallel or sequential synchronization tasks executed by a single worker instance. Instead of strictly binding credentials to their respective remote definitions throughout the lifecycle of the download operation, the software allows for cross-contamination of authentication tokens. If an attacker can control one remote configuration and trigger a sync that interacts with another configured remote, they may inadvertently receive the username, password, or bearer token intended for the second remote. This leakage occurs because the worker does not sufficiently clear or isolate the previous authentication context before initiating new requests to different registries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant, particularly in multi-tenant environments where multiple users have permission to synchronize container images from various sources. A user with the ability to create and configure a remote pointing to a server under their control can exploit this flaw to harvest credentials belonging to other remotes configured within the same Pulp instance. Once obtained, these credentials allow the attacker to authenticate as another user or service account at the upstream registry. This could lead to unauthorized access to private container images, potential exfiltration of sensitive intellectual property, or further compromise if those registries are linked to broader organizational infrastructure. Although the content stored within Pulp itself remains unchanged and the core service continues to operate normally, the integrity of authentication mechanisms is severely compromised.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Improper Access Control, specifically regarding insufficient isolation between different security contexts or user sessions. It also relates to CWE-798 Use of Hard-coded Credentials if static tokens are involved, though it primarily manifests as a logic error in credential management rather than hardcoding. In terms of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this behavior facilitates Credential Access techniques such as T1528 Steal Application Access Token or T1078 Valid Accounts, depending on whether bearer tokens or standard username-password pairs are leaked. The attack vector is classified as Local if exploitation requires prior access to configure remotes within the Pulp interface, making it an insider threat scenario unless combined with other vulnerabilities that allow remote code execution or unauthorized configuration changes.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of pulp-container to versions where this credential isolation flaw has been resolved by developers. Administrators must ensure that all worker processes are restarted after applying updates to clear any lingering state in memory. Additionally, organizations should enforce strict least-privilege principles regarding who can create or modify container remotes within the Pulp environment. Regular rotation of registry credentials and bearer tokens is recommended to limit the window of exposure if a leak occurs. Monitoring logs for unusual authentication patterns from upstream registries may also help detect potential exploitation attempts in real-time, although detection remains challenging due to the legitimate nature of the requests made using stolen credentials.