CVE-2019-14904 in Ansible Engine
Summary
by MITRE
A flaw was found in the solaris_zone module from the Ansible Community modules. When setting the name for the zone on the Solaris host, the zone name is checked by listing the process with the 'ps' bare command on the remote machine. An attacker could take advantage of this flaw by crafting the name of the zone and executing arbitrary commands in the remote host. Ansible Engine 2.7.15, 2.8.7, and 2.9.2 as well as previous versions are affected.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-14904 resides within the solaris_zone module of Ansible Community modules, representing a critical command injection flaw that undermines the security posture of Solaris systems managed through Ansible automation. This vulnerability specifically manifests when the module validates zone names by executing a bare 'ps' command on remote Solaris hosts without proper input sanitization or command escaping mechanisms. The flaw stems from the module's improper handling of user-supplied zone names during the validation process, creating an avenue for malicious input manipulation that can be exploited to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the Ansible execution context.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the module's reliance on shell command execution for zone name verification rather than employing safe parameterized queries or proper input validation techniques. When an attacker crafts a malicious zone name containing shell metacharacters or command separators, the module's insufficient sanitization allows these characters to be interpreted by the underlying shell, enabling arbitrary command execution on the target Solaris system. This represents a classic command injection vulnerability that aligns with CWE-78, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands. The vulnerability's exploitation potential is particularly concerning given that it occurs during what should be a simple validation operation, making it difficult to detect and prevent through standard security monitoring.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate command execution capabilities to encompass potential system compromise and privilege escalation scenarios. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to the Solaris host, potentially escalating privileges to root level depending on the Ansible execution context. The vulnerability affects multiple Ansible versions including 2.7.15, 2.8.7, and 2.9.2, indicating a widespread exposure across the Ansible ecosystem and affecting organizations that rely on Ansible for Solaris system management. This creates a significant risk for enterprise environments where Solaris systems are managed through Ansible automation, as the vulnerability could be exploited to gain persistent access to critical infrastructure components.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Ansible versions to address the command injection flaw in the solaris_zone module. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the exposure of Ansible management systems, ensuring that only authorized personnel can execute Ansible playbooks against Solaris hosts. The remediation process should include validating all zone names through proper input sanitization techniques that prevent shell metacharacter interpretation, implementing proper parameterized command execution where possible, and conducting thorough security reviews of all Ansible modules to identify similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing runtime monitoring to detect suspicious command execution patterns and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing Ansible-based exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices in automation tools and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of configuration management systems that operate in privileged environments. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation and command and control techniques, emphasizing the need for defensive measures that address both the immediate exploitation vector and broader security implications for automated infrastructure management systems.