Ansible "User" module leaks any data which is passed on as a parameter to ssh-keygen. This could lean in undesirable situations such as passphrases credentials passed as a parameter for the ssh-keygen
Ansible "User" module leaks any data which is passed on as a parameter to ssh-keygen. This could lean in undesirable situations such as passphrases credentials passed as a parameter for the ssh-keygen executable. Showing those credentials in clear text form for every user which have access just to the process list.
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Python (PyPI) | ansible | >= 2.7, < 2.7.1, >= 2.6, < 2.6.7, < 2.5.11 | 2.7.1, 2.6.7, 2.5.11 |
References
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16837
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/47487
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/47486
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/47445
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/47436
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/77928e6c3a2ad878b20312ce5d74d9d7741e0df0
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/b618339c321c387230d3ea523e80ad47af3de5cf
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/f50cc0b8cb399bb7b7c1ad23b94c9404f0cc6d23
- https://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4396
- https://web.archive.org/web/20200227105539/http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105700
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4072-1
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/11/msg00012.html
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/ansible/PYSEC-2018-44.yaml
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/c963ef1dfbf73efea5106624eb48b346f01eaefd/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.7.rst?plain=1#L138
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16837
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2018-16837
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3505
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3463
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3462
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3461
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3460
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-04/msg00021.html
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-06/msg00077.html
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-08/msg00020.html
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105700
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4072-1/
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-hwrm-63v2-42g4
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-311- Platform
- Python (PyPI)
- Package
ansible- Disclosed
- 23.10.2018
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 12:19
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-hwrm-63v2-42g4 - CC BY 4.0
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2018-44 - PyPA Advisory Database; 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 "User" module leaks any data which is passed on as a parameter to ssh-keygen. This could lean in undesirable situations such as passphrases credentials passed as a parameter for the ssh-keygen this entry
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