CVE-2019-10206 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

CVE-2019-10206 is a vulnerability in Ansible versions before 2.8.4, affecting password prompts and expansion from templates.

Understanding CVE-2019-10206

This CVE impacts Ansible versions prior to 2.8.4, potentially exposing passwords due to template expansion during prompts.

What is CVE-2019-10206?

Before version 2.8.4, Ansible-playbook and Ansible CLI tools in certain versions could expose passwords containing special characters due to template expansion during prompts.

The Impact of CVE-2019-10206

The vulnerability could lead to the exposure of sensitive passwords, compromising system security and confidentiality.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-10206

This section provides detailed technical information about the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The issue affects Ansible versions before 2.8.4, where passwords containing special characters could be exposed during prompts due to template expansion.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: Red Hat
Product: Ansible
Affected Versions:
All 2.8.x before 2.8.4
All 2.7.x before 2.7.13
All 2.6.x before 2.6.19

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability arises from the lack of proper handling of passwords with special characters, leading to their exposure during template expansion.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2019-10206 with these mitigation strategies.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Ansible to version 2.8.4 or newer to mitigate the vulnerability.
Avoid using passwords with special characters that may trigger template expansion.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement secure password management practices.
Regularly update Ansible and other software components to address security vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches promptly to ensure your systems are protected from known vulnerabilities.