# CVE-2026-16544: Red Hat AWX missing authorization in websocket event consumer

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-16544-red-hat-awx-missing-authorization-in-websocket-event-consumer  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-07-22. Updated: 2026-07-22  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-16544 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.5 · Published 2026-07-22

A security flaw in AWX and Ansible Automation Platform allows any logged-in user to view sensitive real-time data from other organizations. By subscribing to specific internal communication channels, an unauthorized user can monitor the progress and output of system tasks, project updates, and inventory syncs that they should not have access to. This could lead to the exposure of sensitive operational data or credentials used during automated updates.

Technologies: [Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/ansible-automation-platform-2). Vendors: [Red Hat](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/red-hat).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-16544 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-16544 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-16544?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.5, published 22 July 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Red Hat AWX; Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2; Red Hat Automation Controller.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-16544?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-16544 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-16544?** Check whether you run Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2 or Red Hat Automation Controller. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

A missing authorization check exists in the AWX websocket EventConsumer. The consumer_access() function in 'awx/main/access.py' fails to map RBAC access classes for three specific event groups: inventory_update_events, project_update_events, and system_job_events. When a subscription request is made for these groups, the authorization check is skipped, allowing any authenticated user to subscribe via websocket using enumerable UnifiedJob IDs. Attackers can receive real-time stdout and event_data, which may include unredacted SCM credentials or sensitive system information. This issue represents an incomplete fix for CVE-2020-10698.

## Affected products

- Red Hat AWX
- Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2
- Red Hat Automation Controller

## Timeline

- 2026-07-22: disclosed: Vulnerability reported and published via Red Hat and NVD.

## References

- [https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/](https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/)
- [https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-16544](https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-16544)
- [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2506053](https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2506053)

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