Sensitive information in log files in Ansible
Priority LOW 25CWE-532Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Information disclosure
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · None
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 7 fixed, 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA, GitHub and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-532.
Summary
A flaw was found in ansible module where credentials are disclosed in the console log by default and not protected by the security feature when using the bitbucket_pipeline_variable module. This flaw allows an attacker to steal bitbucket_pipeline credentials. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to confidentiality.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.00337 27th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Ansible: 2.9.18ansible (PyPI): 2.9.18Red Hat: 4 advisoriesRed Hat: 7 fixed, 2 without a fix
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Ansible | before 2.9.18 | 2.9.18 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | ansible (PyPI) | before 2.9.18 | 2.9.18 | Patch available | GHSA-wv5p-gmmv-wh9v |
- Ansible Vendor— Affected before 2.9.18 Fixed in 2.9.18 Patch available CNA
- ansible (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 2.9.18 Fixed in 2.9.18 Patch available GHSA-wv5p-gmmv-wh9v
CPE configurations NVD · 4
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:redhat:ansible:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 2.9.18 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:a:redhat:ansible_tower:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:32:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 32 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
| cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:33:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 33 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
- cpe:2.3:a:redhat:ansible:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 2.9.18 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:a:redhat:ansible_tower:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:32:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 32 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
- cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:33:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 33 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Ansible Fixed in 2.9.18
- Fix · GHSA-wv5p-gmmv-wh9v ansible (PyPI) Fixed in 2.9.18 Advisory →
Red Hat 4 advisories
- RHSA-2021:2180 Released 2021-06-01 · Red Hat rating ModerateRHV Engine and Host Common Packages security update [ovirt-4.4.6]
- RHEL-8-RHEV-S-4.4 - Red Hat Virtualization Engine 4.4 ansible-2.9.18-1.el8ae
- Red Hat Virtualization 4 Management Agent for RHEL 7 Hosts ansible-2.9.18-1.el8ae
- RHSA-2021:1079 Released 2021-04-09 · Red Hat rating ModerateRed Hat Ansible Automation Platform Operator 1.2 security update
- Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 1.2 for RHEL 7 ansible-automation-platform/platform-resource-operator-bundle, ansible-automation-platform/platform-resource-rhel7-operator, ansible-automation-platform/platform-resource-runner-rhel7
- RHSA-2021:0663 Released 2021-02-24 · Red Hat rating ModerateAnsible security and bug fix update (2.9.18)
- Red Hat Ansible Engine 2 for RHEL 7 ansible-2.9.18-1.el7ae, ansible-test-2.9.18-1.el7ae
- Red Hat Ansible Engine 2 for RHEL 8 ansible-2.9.18-1.el8ae, ansible-test-2.9.18-1.el8ae
Show 1 more Red Hat advisories
- RHSA-2021:0664 Released 2021-02-24 · Red Hat rating ModerateAnsible security and bug fix update (2.9.18)
- Red Hat Ansible Engine 2.9 for RHEL 7 Server ansible-2.9.18-1.el7ae, ansible-test-2.9.18-1.el7ae
- Red Hat Ansible Engine 2.9 for RHEL 8 ansible-2.9.18-1.el8ae, ansible-test-2.9.18-1.el8ae
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Ansible Tower 3 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Storage 3 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| RHEL-8-RHEV-S-4.4 - Red Hat Virtualization Engine 4.4 | Fixed | RHSA-2021:2180 |
| Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 1.2 for RHEL 7 | Fixed | RHSA-2021:1079 |
| Red Hat Ansible Engine 2 for RHEL 7 | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0663 |
| Red Hat Ansible Engine 2 for RHEL 8 | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0663 |
| Red Hat Ansible Engine 2.9 for RHEL 7 Server | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0664 |
| Red Hat Ansible Engine 2.9 for RHEL 8 | Fixed | RHSA-2021:0664 |
| Red Hat Virtualization 4 Management Agent for RHEL 7 Hosts | Fixed | RHSA-2021:2180 |
Not affected: 3 products
- RHEL-8-RHEV-S-4.4 - Red Hat Virtualization Engine 4.4
- Red Hat Virtualization 4 Management Agent for RHEL 7 Hosts
- Red Hat Virtualization 4 Tools for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-20178
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-wv5p-gmmv-wh9v
References
Advisory 5
Other 12
- https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/1635%2C
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/v2.9.18/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.9.rst#security-fixes%2C
- [debian-lts-announce] 20231228 [SECURITY] [DLA 3695-1] ansible security update
- https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/1635
- https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/commit/1d0c5e2ba47724c31a18d7b08b9daf13df8829dc
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/v2.9.18/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.9.rst#security-fixes
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/v2.9.18/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.9.rst#security-fixes,
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/ansible/PYSEC-2021-106.yaml
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/FUQ2QKAQA5OW2TY3ACZZMFIAJ2EQTG37
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/HIU7QZUV73U6ZQ65VJWSFBTCALVXLH55
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]/message/FUQ2QKAQA5OW2TY3ACZZMFIAJ2EQTG37
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]/message/HIU7QZUV73U6ZQ65VJWSFBTCALVXLH55
Sources
- CVE-2021-20178 · CVE Program
- CVE-2021-20178 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-wv5p-gmmv-wh9v · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2021-20178 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences