CVE-2019-10156 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

An issue was detected in the implementation of Ansible templating in versions prior to 2.6.18, 2.7.12, and 2.8.2, potentially leading to information exposure through unintended variable substitution.

Understanding CVE-2019-10156

This CVE involves a vulnerability in Ansible versions before 2.6.18, 2.7.12, and 2.8.2 that could allow an attacker to reveal variable contents.

What is CVE-2019-10156?

A flaw in Ansible templating implementation could result in information disclosure due to unexpected variable substitution, enabling attackers to expose variable contents.

The Impact of CVE-2019-10156

CVSS Score: 4.6 (Medium)
Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Confidentiality Impact: Low
Integrity Impact: Low
Availability Impact: None

Technical Details of CVE-2019-10156

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Ansible versions prior to 2.6.18, 2.7.12, and 2.8.2 allows for unintended variable substitution, potentially exposing variable contents.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Product: Ansible
Vendor: Red Hat
Affected Versions: Fixed in 2.6.18, 2.7.12, and 2.8.2

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by leveraging unintended variable substitution to reveal the contents of any variable.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2019-10156, follow these mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Ansible to versions 2.6.18, 2.7.12, or 2.8.2, where the issue is fixed.
Monitor for any unusual variable substitutions in Ansible templates.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Ansible to the latest versions to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Implement secure coding practices to avoid unintended variable substitutions.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by Red Hat to fix the vulnerability in Ansible.