CVE-2022-2568 in Ansible Automation Platform
Summary
by MITRE • 08/19/2022
A privilege escalation flaw was found in the Ansible Automation Platform. This flaw allows a remote authenticated user with 'change user' permissions to modify the account settings of the superuser account and also remove the superuser privileges.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2568 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the Ansible Automation Platform ecosystem. This security weakness specifically targets the platform's user permission management system and allows authenticated attackers to manipulate superuser account settings. The flaw exists in the platform's authorization mechanisms, where proper access controls fail to prevent users with 'change user' permissions from executing actions that should be restricted to administrative roles. The vulnerability demonstrates a clear breakdown in the principle of least privilege, where users with limited permissions can escalate their privileges through improper account modification capabilities. This issue affects organizations that rely on Ansible Automation Platform for infrastructure management and automation tasks, potentially exposing their entire automation infrastructure to unauthorized access and control.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of user permissions when performing account modification operations. When a user with 'change user' permissions attempts to modify the superuser account, the system fails to properly verify whether the requesting user has the appropriate administrative privileges required for such sensitive operations. This weakness creates a path for privilege escalation where malicious actors can manipulate the superuser account settings, effectively gaining administrative control over the entire Ansible Automation Platform. The flaw is particularly concerning because it allows for both modification of superuser account properties and removal of superuser privileges, providing attackers with comprehensive control over the platform's administrative functions. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control, and specifically relates to inadequate privilege checking mechanisms in administrative functions.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-2568 extends beyond immediate privilege escalation to encompass broader security implications for automation infrastructure. Organizations utilizing the Ansible Automation Platform may face unauthorized access to sensitive automation workflows, configuration management systems, and infrastructure provisioning capabilities. Attackers who exploit this vulnerability can potentially disrupt critical automation processes, modify deployment configurations, or gain access to confidential data managed through the platform. The risk is compounded by the fact that this is a remote authenticated vulnerability, meaning attackers do not require physical access or local system compromise to exploit the flaw. This vulnerability can be leveraged in conjunction with other attack vectors to establish persistent access to automation environments, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise settings where Ansible platforms control critical infrastructure. The impact aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1548 for abuse of privileges, demonstrating how this vulnerability can be used to maintain access and escalate privileges within automated environments.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of the Ansible Automation Platform, reviewing and restricting user permissions, and implementing additional access controls. The platform should enforce stricter validation of administrative actions and ensure that users with 'change user' permissions cannot modify superuser accounts. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of user roles and permissions to identify potential exploitation paths, while also monitoring for suspicious account modification activities. Network segmentation and additional authentication controls should be implemented to reduce the attack surface and prevent lateral movement within automation environments. Regular security assessments of automation platforms are essential to identify similar privilege escalation vulnerabilities that may exist in other components of the infrastructure. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper access control implementation in automation platforms and the need for continuous security monitoring to detect and prevent unauthorized privilege escalation attempts.