CVE-2020-10709 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A security flaw in Ansible Tower allows attackers to obtain a non-expiring refresh token, affecting versions before 3.6.4 and 3.5.6.

Understanding CVE-2020-10709

This CVE involves a vulnerability in Ansible Tower related to OAuth2 token handling.

What is CVE-2020-10709?

An issue in Ansible Tower allows attackers to acquire a refresh token that does not expire.
The flaw enables unauthorized access to Ansible Tower using the obtained token.

The Impact of CVE-2020-10709

Attackers can gain full authentication to Ansible Tower by exploiting this vulnerability.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-10709

This section provides technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

Requesting an OAuth2 token with an OAuth2 application in Ansible Tower triggers the flaw.
The vulnerability allows attackers to obtain a non-expiring refresh token.

Affected Systems and Versions

Ansible Tower versions before 3.6.4 and 3.5.6 are vulnerable to this exploit.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the flaw by requesting an OAuth2 token with an OAuth2 application.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-10709 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Ansible Tower to version 3.6.4 or 3.5.6 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor and revoke any suspicious or unauthorized tokens.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch Ansible Tower to address security vulnerabilities.
Implement strict token management and access control policies.
Conduct security audits and penetration testing to identify and remediate potential weaknesses.
Educate users on secure token handling practices.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by Ansible Tower to fix the vulnerability.