High [CVE-2026-66138] Arbitrary code execution via malicious configuration
This high-severity Red Hat Linux advisory covers CVE-2026-66138 affecting Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.20, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.21, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.22.
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Summary
In OpenStack Ironic Python Agent through 11.6.0, a project-scoped user with the manager role can achieve arbitrary code execution on a running Ironic-Python-Agent via a maliciously constructed configuration, because the value of ntp_server is passed to a shell. A vulnerability was found in Ironic-Python-Agent's (IPA) time syncing code.
The value of the ntp_server configuration option is inserted into a shell command without sanitization. This command is run as root very early in the IPA startup flow, allowing an attacker to run arbitrary commands as root.
This value can be set in three ways; directly in an operator-created ramdisk, set via kernel command line using Ironic, or passing the parameters via mDNS responder for mDNS enabled installation.
For the most common, and highest security risk case, this means a Manager role associated with the project set as node.owner may be able to trigger this vulnerability. Red Hat OpenStack Platform ships ironic-python-agent as part of bare metal provisioning.
Deployments using chrony for time synchronization in the IPA ramdisk are affected by this vulnerability. The impact is limited to the bare metal node running the IPA ramdisk; there is no known method for leveraging ramdisk shell access to compromise the Ironic control plane service.
- 11.6.0
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 11 days ago·verify at source
- openshift4/ose-ironic-agent-rhel9:1787735456
- openshift4/ose-ironic-agent-rhel9:1787555677
- openshift4/ose-ironic-agent-rhel9:1787073364
- RHSA-2026:60446
- RHSA-2026:60477
- RHSA-2026:57365
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 11 days ago·verify at source
Mitigation checklist
- Remove the chronyd binary from the Ironic Python Agent (IPA) ramdisk image. The vulnerable code path is only reached when chronyd is detected as available. Without chronyd, IPA will either use ntpdate for time synchronization (which is not affected by this vulnerability, as it passes the NTP server address as a separate process argument without shell interpolation) or skip time synchronization entirely if neither tool is available. Additionally, restrict and segment the provisioning network to prevent rogue mDNS responders, and review OpenStack RBAC policies to limit which users can modify kernel_append_params on bare metal nodes.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 11 days ago·verify at source
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