CVE-2020-10684: Ansible Code Injection, Race Condition, And Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-p62g-jhg6-v3rq
Share
CVSS 7.1
CWE-362 CWE-94 CWE-862 CWE-250
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2020-10684 is a MODERATE (CVSS 7.1) code injection, race condition, and vulnerability (CWE-362: Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')) affecting Ansible libraries in the PyPI ecosystem. The issue involves code injection, race condition, and execution with unnecessary privileges in ansible. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.7.17, 2.8.11, 2.9.7.

CVE-2020-10684 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2020-10684
GHSA Identifier GHSA-p62g-jhg6-v3rq
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.1
CWE Classification CWE-362: Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
Affected Product Ansible
Package Ecosystem PyPI
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.1

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2020-10684

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Ansible dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

ansible fixed: 2.7.17 
pip install ansible>=2.7.17
ansible fixed: 2.8.11 
pip install ansible>=2.8.11
ansible fixed: 2.9.7 
pip install ansible>=2.9.7
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

pip show ansible

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Python environment is affected by CVE-2020-10684, inspect your installed packages using pip:

pip show ansible

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Ansible in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.7.17), your application is affected.

Note: The pip show ansible command checks currently installed packages in your active Python environment.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-362: Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition'), where the product contains a concurrent code sequence that requires temporary, exclusive access to a shared resource, but a timing window exists in which the shared resource can be modified by another code sequence operating concurrently. In Ansible, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

A flaw was found in Ansible Engine, all versions 2.7.x, 2.8.x and 2.9.x prior to 2.7.17, 2.8.11, and 2.9.7 respectively, when using ansible_facts as a subkey of itself and promoting it to a variable when inject is enabled, overwriting the ansible_facts after the clean. An attacker could take advantage of this by altering the ansible_facts, such as ansible_hosts, users and any other key data which would lead into privilege escalation or code injection.

CVE-2020-10684 Affected Ansible Versions

3 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.7.172.8.112.9.7
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
ansible
pypi/ansible
PyPI
≥ 2.7.0a1
< 2.7.17
2.7.17
ansible
pypi/ansible
PyPI
≥ 2.8.0a1
< 2.8.11
2.8.11
ansible
pypi/ansible
PyPI
≥ 2.9.0a1
< 2.9.7
2.9.7

References

NVD — CVE-2020-10684 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-10684
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/0b4788a71fc7d24ffa957a94ee5e23d6a9733ab0
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/1d0d2645eed36ac4e17052ab4eacf240132d96fb
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/5eabf7bb93c9bfc375b806a2b1f623d650cddc2b
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/a9d2ceafe429171c0e2ad007058b88bae57c74ce
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi WEB
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2020-10684
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-p62g-jhg6-v3rq
Ansible Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/ansible/ansible
Ansible Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/ansible/PYSEC-2020-207.yaml
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/packa... WEB
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/DKPA4KC3OJSUFASUYMG66HKJE7ADNGFW
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/packa... WEB
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/MRRYUU5ZBLPBXCYG6CFP35D64NP2UB2S
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/packa... WEB
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/WQVOQD4VAIXXTVQAJKTN7NUGTJFE2PCB
Ansible Security Information SECURITY
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202006-11
Ansible Security Information SECURITY
https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4950

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-10684?
CVE-2020-10684 is a security vulnerability in Ansible involving Code Injection, Race Condition, and Execution with Unnecessary Privileges in Ansible under CWE-362: Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition').
Which Ansible versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.7.17, 2.8.11, 2.9.7 across affected packages: ansible.
What version fixes CVE-2020-10684?
Upgrading to 2.7.17, 2.8.11, 2.9.7 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is ansible affected?
Yes, ansible is affected in releases prior to 2.7.17, 2.8.11, 2.9.7. Upgrade your dependency to 2.7.17, 2.8.11, 2.9.7 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2020-10684?
CVE-2020-10684 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.1 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2020-10684?
CVE-2020-10684 is classified under CWE-362: Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition') (The product contains a concurrent code sequence that requires temporary, exclusive access to a shared resource, but a timing window exists in which the shared resource can be modified by another code sequence operating concurrently.).
How can I check PyPI dependencies for CVE-2020-10684?
Run the dependency tree command: 'pip show ansible'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-p62g-jhg6-v3rq",
  "modified" : "2024-11-18T16:26:11Z",
  "published" : "2021-04-07T20:37:06Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2020-10684" ],
  "summary" : "Code Injection, Race Condition, and Execution with Unnecessary Privileges in Ansible",
  "details" : "A flaw was found in Ansible Engine, all versions 2.7.x, 2.8.x and 2.9.x prior to 2.7.17, 2.8.11, and 2.9.7 respectively, when using ansible_facts as a subkey of itself and promoting it to a variable when inject is enabled, overwriting the ansible_facts after the clean. An attacker could take advantage of this by altering the ansible_facts, such as ansible_hosts, users and any other key data which would lead into privilege escalation or code injection.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "ansible"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.7.0a1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.7.17"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "ansible"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.8.0a1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.8.11"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "ansible"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.9.0a1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.9.7"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-10684"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/0b4788a71fc7d24ffa957a94ee5e23d6a9733ab0"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/1d0d2645eed36ac4e17052ab4eacf240132d96fb"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/5eabf7bb93c9bfc375b806a2b1f623d650cddc2b"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/ansible/ansible/commit/a9d2ceafe429171c0e2ad007058b88bae57c74ce"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2020-10684"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-p62g-jhg6-v3rq"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/ansible/ansible"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/ansible/PYSEC-2020-207.yaml"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/DKPA4KC3OJSUFASUYMG66HKJE7ADNGFW"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/MRRYUU5ZBLPBXCYG6CFP35D64NP2UB2S"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/WQVOQD4VAIXXTVQAJKTN7NUGTJFE2PCB"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202006-11"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4950"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-250", "CWE-362", "CWE-862", "CWE-94" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2021-04-05T14:46:48Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2020-03-24T14:15:00Z"
  }
}