CVE-2020-10729: Insufficiently random values in Ansible
Summary
CVE-2020-10729: Insufficiently random values in Ansible. Affects ansible versions < 2.9.6. Fixed in 2.9.6. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- ansible · Debian:11
The same CVE-2020-10729 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
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Background
Ansible is an open-source automation tool that allows users to automate IT tasks such as configuration management, application deployment, and orchestration. It is widely used in the industry due to its simplicity and flexibility. However, a vulnerability has been discovered in Ansible versions prior to 2.9.6 that involves the use of insufficiently random values. This flaw affects the generation of random passwords, which can lead to the exposure of all passwords for a file if two random password lookups of the same length generate the same value. This vulnerability has a moderate severity rating and is identified by the CVE identifier CVE-2020-10729.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in Ansible arises from the generation of insufficiently random values for passwords. When two random password lookups of the same length produce the same value, the template caching action for the same file does not trigger re-evaluation. As a result, all passwords for the file can be exposed at once. This vulnerability poses a moderate threat, as it allows unauthorized access to sensitive information. The Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) ID associated with this vulnerability is CWE-330.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 14.5.0 as of 22 Oct 2026
pip install --upgrade "ansible==14.5.0"Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
2.9.6
This is the first release that contains the fix.
pip install --upgrade "ansible==2.9.6"Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no specific workaround provided for this vulnerability. The recommended solution is to update Ansible Engine to the patched version.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the vulnerability CVE-2020-10729 in Ansible involves the use of insufficiently random values for passwords. This can lead to the exposure of all passwords for a file if two random password lookups of the same length generate the same value. It is crucial to update Ansible Engine to version 2.9.6 or later to mitigate this vulnerability. For further support and assistance in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
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FAQ
Ansible is an open-source automation tool used for IT tasks such as configuration management, application deployment, and orchestration.
The vulnerability allows unauthorized access to sensitive information, as all passwords for a file can be exposed at once.
Ansible Engine versions prior to 2.9.6 are affected by this vulnerability.
Yes, updating Ansible Engine to version 2.9.6 or later fixes this vulnerability.
This vulnerability has a moderate severity rating.
References
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