CVE-2019-14890 : What You Need to Know
Learn about CVE-2019-14890, a high-severity vulnerability in Ansible Tower before 3.6.1 allowing unauthorized users to retrieve plaintext usernames and passwords from the database.
Ansible Tower before version 3.6.1 is vulnerable to unauthorized access of plaintext credentials stored in the database. Attackers with limited privileges can exploit this issue through the '/api/v2/config' endpoint.
Understanding CVE-2019-14890
This CVE involves a security vulnerability in Ansible Tower that allows unauthorized users to access sensitive information stored in plaintext.
What is CVE-2019-14890?
This vulnerability in Ansible Tower prior to version 3.6.1 enables attackers with restricted privileges to retrieve usernames and passwords saved in plain text from the Red Hat Subscription Manager (RHSM) database.
The Impact of CVE-2019-14890
The vulnerability poses a high risk as it allows unauthorized access to confidential data, potentially leading to unauthorized system access and data breaches.
Technical Details of CVE-2019-14890
This section provides detailed technical insights into the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
The flaw in Ansible Tower allows attackers with low privileges to extract plaintext credentials from the RHSM database during the license application process via the '/api/v2/config' endpoint.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: Tower
- Vendor: [UNKNOWN]
- Vulnerable Version: 3.6.1
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by leveraging limited privileges to access and retrieve sensitive data stored in plaintext within the database.
Mitigation and Prevention
Protecting systems from CVE-2019-14890 requires immediate actions and long-term security measures.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Upgrade Ansible Tower to version 3.6.1 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
- Monitor and restrict access to the '/api/v2/config' endpoint.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Implement the principle of least privilege to restrict user access rights.
- Regularly review and update security configurations to prevent similar vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
Apply security patches and updates provided by the vendor to address the vulnerability effectively.