CVE-2020-1740 : What You Need to Know

A security flaw in Ansible Engine could allow unauthorized access to encrypted files when using Ansible Vault, affecting various versions of Ansible.

Understanding CVE-2020-1740

This CVE entry describes a vulnerability in Ansible that could potentially compromise the confidentiality of encrypted data.

What is CVE-2020-1740?

An issue in Ansible Engine allows an attacker on the same system to read secret information by exploiting insecure file handling during the "ansible-vault edit" process.

The Impact of CVE-2020-1740

The vulnerability's low base severity score indicates a moderate impact, potentially compromising the confidentiality of sensitive data.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-1740

This section covers the technical aspects and implications of the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in Ansible allows unauthorized users to access secret information by manipulating temporary files insecurely during editing operations.

Affected Systems and Versions

All versions in the 2.7.x, 2.8.x, and 2.9.x branches of Ansible are vulnerable to this issue.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: High
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Scope: Changed
Confidentiality Impact: Low
Integrity Impact: Low
Availability Impact: None

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting your systems from CVE-2020-1740 is crucial to ensure data security and integrity.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Ansible to a patched version provided by the vendor.
Monitor file access and permissions on the system to detect any unauthorized activities.
Consider limiting access to sensitive files and directories.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update security configurations on the system.
Educate users on secure file handling practices to prevent data leakage.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches and updates provided by Red Hat for Ansible to eliminate the vulnerability.