CVE-2020-1753 : Security Advisory and Response

A security flaw in Ansible versions 2.7.x, 2.8.x, and 2.9.x allows disclosure of sensitive information when managing Kubernetes.

Understanding CVE-2020-1753

A security vulnerability impacting Ansible versions 2.7.x, 2.8.x, and 2.9.x.

What is CVE-2020-1753?

This CVE identifies a security issue in Ansible Engine versions when managing Kubernetes using the k8s module. It allows the disclosure of sensitive parameters such as passwords and tokens.

The Impact of CVE-2020-1753

The vulnerability can result in the exposure of confidential information like passwords and tokens from the process list, compromising security.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-1753

Details about the vulnerability in Ansible versions.

Vulnerability Description

Sensitive parameters like passwords and tokens are improperly passed to kubectl, potentially exposing them in logs and outputs.

Affected Systems and Versions

All Ansible 2.7.x versions prior to 2.7.17
All Ansible 2.8.x versions prior to 2.8.11
All Ansible 2.9.x versions prior to 2.9.7

Exploitation Mechanism

Vulnerable versions are susceptible when managing Kubernetes using the k8s module

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to mitigate the CVE-2020-1753 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Ansible to versions 2.7.17, 2.8.11, or 2.9.7
Avoid passing sensitive data as command-line arguments

Long-Term Security Practices

Use environment variables or input config files for sensitive data
Regularly review and update security configurations

Patching and Updates

Apply relevant patches provided by Red Hat to address the vulnerability