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Vulnerability record · CVE-2018-16837 · published 23 October 2018

CVE-2018-16837: Redhat ansible engine missing encryption vulnerability

Redhat · Ansible Engine

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.

7.8 CVSS 3.0 High EPSS 0.37% · top 72.0% CWE-214 · CWE-214CWE-311 · Missing encryption
7.8CVSS 3.0 base score, v2 2.1
0.37%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
4Affected product versions listed by NVD
27References
17 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

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.

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

4 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-04/msg00021.html Third Party Advisory
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 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3460 Vendor Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3461 Vendor Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3462 Vendor Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3463 Vendor Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3505 Vendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16837 Issue TrackingVendor Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/11/msg00012.html Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4072-1/
https://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4396 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2018-16837 Vendor Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-04/msg00021.html Third Party Advisory
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 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3460 Vendor Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3461 Vendor Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3462 Vendor Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3463 Vendor Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3505 Vendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16837 Issue TrackingVendor Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/11/msg00012.html Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4072-1/
https://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4396 Third Party Advisory

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2018-16837), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-10-02). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.