Ansible fails to properly mark lookup-plugin results as unsafe

The impact of CVE-2017-7481 is severe. An attacker who can control the results of Ansible's lookup() calls can inject malicious Unicode strings. These strings are then processed by the Jinja2 templating engine, potentially allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the target system. This could lead to complete system compromise, data theft, or disruption of automated processes. The vulnerability's impact is amplified in environments where Ansible is used to manage critical infrastructure or sensitive data, as a successful attack could propagate across multiple systems. While the default Jinja2 templating language is now marked as 'unsafe', legacy configurations or custom plugins might still be vulnerable.

Organizations heavily reliant on Ansible for infrastructure automation, particularly those using older versions (≤2.3.0.0), are at significant risk. Shared hosting environments where multiple users have access to Ansible configurations are also vulnerable, as an attacker could potentially compromise the entire environment through a single playbook.

• python / ansible:

Get-Process -Name ansible | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Path

• python / ansible: Check Ansible playbook files for suspicious lookup plugin usage or untrusted data sources. • python / ansible: Monitor Ansible logs for errors related to Unicode parsing or Jinja2 template rendering. • python / ansible: Review Ansible configuration files for any custom filters or extensions that might be vulnerable. • python / ansible: Use a static analysis tool to scan Ansible playbooks for potential vulnerabilities.

1. 2018-09-06Disclosure

   disclosure

1. प्रकाशित2018-09-06
2. संशोधित2025-05-29
3. EPSS अद्यतन2026-04-02

The primary mitigation for CVE-2017-7481 is to upgrade Ansible to version 2.3.1.0 or later, which addresses the vulnerability by properly marking lookup-plugin results as unsafe. If upgrading is not immediately feasible, consider implementing temporary workarounds such as restricting the sources from which Ansible retrieves data and carefully reviewing all lookup plugins for potential vulnerabilities. Additionally, ensure that Jinja2 templating is configured securely, and that any custom filters or extensions are thoroughly vetted. After upgrading, confirm the fix by attempting to trigger a lookup with a specially crafted Unicode string and verifying that it is properly sanitized.