CVE-2017-7473 in Ansible
Summary
by MITRE
Ansible versions 2.2.3 and earlier are vulnerable to an information disclosure flaw due to the interaction of call back plugins and the no_log directive where the information may not be sanitized properly.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7473 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within Ansible automation platform versions 2.2.3 and earlier. This security weakness stems from the improper interaction between callback plugins and the no_log directive mechanism, which is designed to prevent sensitive data from being exposed during automation execution. The flaw occurs when Ansible processes tasks that should be protected by the no_log directive, yet sensitive information flows through callback plugins without adequate sanitization, potentially exposing confidential data to unauthorized parties.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient data sanitization processes within Ansible's callback plugin architecture. When Ansible executes tasks with the no_log directive, it should prevent sensitive information from being logged or transmitted through callback mechanisms. However, in affected versions, callback plugins can still access and potentially expose information that should remain protected, creating a pathway for information leakage. This issue manifests particularly when Ansible interacts with external systems or logging mechanisms that utilize callback plugins to report on task execution status and results.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on Ansible for infrastructure automation and configuration management. Attackers who can exploit this flaw may gain access to sensitive data such as passwords, API keys, encryption keys, or other confidential information that should remain protected during automation workflows. The impact extends beyond simple data exposure, as compromised credentials or sensitive configuration details could enable further exploitation, lateral movement within networks, or unauthorized access to critical systems. This vulnerability undermines the security assurances that organizations expect from their automation tools, particularly in environments where Ansible is used for managing production systems.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to Ansible versions 2.3.0 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address this information disclosure vulnerability. System administrators should also review existing callback plugin configurations to ensure that no custom plugins exist that might inadvertently bypass the no_log protection mechanisms. Security teams should implement monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to Ansible execution logs and callback interfaces, while also conducting comprehensive audits of automation workflows to identify any potential exposure of sensitive data. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure, and represents a significant concern under the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and credential access tactics, as it enables adversaries to obtain sensitive information that could facilitate further compromise of automated environments.