Ansible fails to properly mark lookup-plugin results as unsafe
Ansible before versions 2.1.6.0, 2.2.3.0, 2.3.1.0, and 2.4.0.0 fails to properly mark lookup-plugin results as unsafe. If an attacker could control the results of lookup() calls, they could inject Unicode strings to be parsed by the jinja2 templating system, resulting in code execution. By default, the jinja2 templating language is now marked as 'unsafe' and is not evaluated.
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Python (PyPI) | ansible | >= 2.3.0.0, < 2.3.1.0, < 2.1.6.0, >= 2.2.0.0, < 2.2.3.0 | 2.3.1.0, 2.1.6.0, 2.2.3.0 |
References
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/ed56f51f185a1ffd7ea57130d260098686fcc7c2
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2017-7481
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:2524
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1599
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1499
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1476
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1334
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1244
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/98492
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4072-1/
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/01/msg00023.html
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-w578-j992-554x
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-7481
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/fd30f5328986f9e1da434474481f32bf918a600c
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/f0e348f5eeb70c1fb3127d90891da43b5c0a9d29
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/a1886911fcf4b691130cfc70dfc5daa5e07c46a3
- https://web.archive.org/web/20170801122609/http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/98492
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4072-1
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/ansible/PYSEC-2018-41.yaml
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-20- Platform
- Python (PyPI)
- Package
ansible- Disclosed
- 19.07.2018
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 12:19
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2018-41 - PyPA Advisory Database; CC BY 4.0
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-w578-j992-554x - 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 mark lookup-plugin results as unsafe this entry
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