CVE-2017-7481 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

CVE-2017-7481 pertains to a vulnerability in Ansible versions 2.3.1.0 and 2.4.0.0 that allows attackers to inject malicious code through the jinja2 templating system.

Understanding CVE-2017-7481

This CVE involves a flaw in Ansible versions prior to 2.3.1.0 and 2.4.0.0 that enables the injection of Unicode strings by manipulating lookup-plugin results, potentially leading to code execution.

What is CVE-2017-7481?

Ansible versions before 2.3.1.0 and 2.4.0.0 have a vulnerability in marking lookup-plugin results as unsafe.
Attackers can exploit this flaw to inject Unicode strings that will be parsed by the jinja2 templating system, allowing for code execution.
The jinja2 templating language is currently considered 'unsafe' as a precaution.

The Impact of CVE-2017-7481

CVSS Base Score: 5.3 (Medium)
Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: High
Integrity Impact: High
User Interaction: Required
Privileges Required: None
Scope: Unchanged
Vector String: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

Technical Details of CVE-2017-7481

Vulnerability Description

Ansible fails to properly mark lookup-plugin results as unsafe, allowing for potential code injection.

Affected Systems and Versions

Products: Ansible
Versions: 2.3.1.0, 2.4.0.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can manipulate lookup() calls to inject Unicode strings parsed by the jinja2 templating system, leading to code execution.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Ansible to versions 2.3.1.0 or higher to mitigate the vulnerability.
Implement strict input validation to prevent unauthorized code injection.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Ansible and other software components to patch known vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by Ansible to address this vulnerability.