Ansible fails to properly sanitize fact variables sent from the Ansible controller
Ansible before version 2.2.0 fails to properly sanitize fact variables sent from the Ansible controller. An attacker with the ability to create special variables on the controller could execute arbitrary commands on Ansible clients as the user Ansible runs as.
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Python (PyPI) | ansible | < 2.2.0.0 | 2.2.0.0 |
References
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2016-8628
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016:2778
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94109
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-jg4f-jqm5-4mgq
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-8628
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/41903
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/35938b907dfcd1106ca40b794f0db446bdb8cf09
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/ansible/PYSEC-2018-38.yaml
- https://web.archive.org/web/20200227214455/http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94109
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-77- Platform
- Python (PyPI)
- Package
ansible- Disclosed
- 31.07.2018
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 11:19
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2018-38 - PyPA Advisory Database; CC BY 4.0
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-jg4f-jqm5-4mgq - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: ansible
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Python (PyPI)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 68
- First → latest
- 09.2013 12.2025
- Without a fix
- 2
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 9
- High 24
- Medium 27
- Low 6
- Unrated 2
Disclosures per year
- 2017: 3
- 2018: 12
- 2019: 8
- 2020: 29
- 2021: 7
- 2022: 3
- 2023: 1
- 2024: 0
- 2025: 1
- 2026: 0
earlier: 4
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Ansible fails to properly sanitize fact variables sent from the Ansible controller this entry
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