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CVE-2023-5115· NVD / CVE Program· CNA redhat

Ansible: malicious role archive can cause ansible-galaxy to overwrite arbitrary files

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 25/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 1% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 62.6% of all records.
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. A user must open a link or visit a page. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: ansible (Debian:10) 2.7.7+dfsg-1+deb10u2; ansible (Debian:12) 5.4.0-1; ansible-core (Debian:12) 2.14.16-0+deb12u1.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to ansible (Debian:10) 2.7.7+dfsg-1+deb10u2; ansible (Debian:12) 5.4.0-1; ansible-core (Debian:12) 2.14.16-0+deb12u1 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

An absolute path traversal attack exists in the Ansible automation platform. This flaw allows an attacker to craft a malicious Ansible role and make the victim execute the role. A symlink can be used to overwrite a file outside of the extraction path.

MediumCVSS 6.3 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Dec 18, 2023
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
1.0% · 62th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

25

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
25 / 40 · 6.3 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 1.0%

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
6.3
CNA · redhat
6.3
agree

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

Follow CVE-2023-5115

When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
redhatansible automation platform
redhatenterprise linux
redhatansible inside
redhatansible developer
debiandebian linux

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • debian debian linux10.0
  • redhat ansible automation platform1.2
  • redhat ansible automation platform2.3
  • redhat ansible automation platform2.4
  • redhat ansible developer1.0
  • redhat ansible developer1.1
  • redhat ansible inside1.1
  • redhat ansible inside1.2

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (redhat). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Red Hat Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 1.2

    • all versionsaffected

  • Red Hat Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.3 for RHEL 8

    • 0:2.14.11-1.el8ap and laternot affected · rpm

  • Red Hat Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.3 for RHEL 9

    • 0:2.14.11-1.el9ap and laternot affected · rpm

  • Red Hat Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for RHEL 8

    • 0:2.15.5-1.el8ap and laternot affected · rpm

  • Red Hat Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 for RHEL 9

    • 0:2.15.5-1.el9ap and laternot affected · rpm

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:10ansiblebefore 2.7.7+dfsg-1+deb10u22.7.7+dfsg-1+deb10u2
Debian:12ansiblebefore 5.4.0-15.4.0-1
Debian:12ansible-corebefore 2.14.16-0+deb12u12.14.16-0+deb12u1
Debian:13ansible-corebefore 2.14.11-12.14.11-1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedansible-corebefore 2.16.9-1.12.16.9-1.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedansible-core-2.17before 2.17.6-1.12.17.6-1.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedansible-core-2.18before 2.18.10-2.12.18.10-2.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedansible-core-2.19before 2.19.4-1.12.19.4-1.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedansible-core-2.20before 2.20.6-1.12.20.6-1.1
PyPIansiblebefore 8.5.08.5.0
Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform_developer:2.3::el8ansible-corebefore 0:2.14.11-1.el8ap0:2.14.11-1.el8ap
Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform_developer:2.3::el9ansible-corebefore 0:2.14.11-1.el9ap0:2.14.11-1.el9ap
Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform_developer:2.4::el8ansible-corebefore 0:2.15.5-1.el8ap0:2.15.5-1.el8ap
Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform_developer:2.4::el9ansible-corebefore 0:2.15.5-1.el9ap0:2.15.5-1.el9ap
Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform:2.3::el8automation-controller-venv-towerbefore 0:4.3.16-1.el8ap0:4.3.16-1.el8ap
Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform:2.3::el9automation-controller-venv-towerbefore 0:4.3.16-1.el9ap0:4.3.16-1.el9ap
Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform:2.4::el8automation-controller-venv-towerbefore 0:4.4.6-1.el8ap0:4.4.6-1.el8ap
Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform:2.4::el8python39-djangobefore 0:3.2.22-1.el8ap0:3.2.22-1.el8ap
Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform:2.4::el8python3x-djangobefore 0:3.2.22-1.el8ap0:3.2.22-1.el8ap
Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform:2.4::el9automation-controller-venv-towerbefore 0:4.4.6-1.el9ap0:4.4.6-1.el9ap
Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform:2.4::el9python-djangobefore 0:3.2.22-1.el9ap0:3.2.22-1.el9ap
Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform:2.4::el9python3-djangobefore 0:3.2.22-1.el9ap0:3.2.22-1.el9ap

Same product

redhat: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2023-4237Platform: ec2_key module prints out the private key directly to the standard output
    31Monitor
  • CVE-2023-50782Python-cryptography: bleichenbacher timing oracle attack against rsa decryption - incomplete fix for cve-2020-25659
    30Monitor
  • CVE-2021-3583A flaw was found in Ansible, where a user's controller is vulnerable to template injection.
    28Monitor

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2023-4380Oct 4, 2023 · Platform: token exposed at importing project
    25Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2023-5189Nov 14, 2023 · Hub: insecure galaxy-importer tarfile extraction
    26Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2024-10033Oct 16, 2024 · Aap-gateway: xss on aap-gateway
    24Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
debian:ansible5.4.0-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
debian:ansible-core2.14.16-0+deb12u1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:ansible-core2.16.9-1.1 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)
opensuse:ansible-core-2.172.17.6-1.1 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)
opensuse:ansible-core-2.182.18.10-2.1 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)
opensuse:ansible-core-2.192.19.4-1.1 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)
opensuse:ansible-core-2.202.20.6-1.1 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)
PyPI:ansible8.5.0Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ansible-core0:2.14.11-1.el8ap · Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform_developer:2.3::el8Package registry (OSV)
red hat:automation-controller-venv-tower0:4.3.16-1.el8ap · Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform:2.3::el8Package registry (OSV)
red hat:python-django0:3.2.22-1.el9ap · Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform:2.4::el9Package registry (OSV)
red hat:python3-django0:3.2.22-1.el9ap · Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform:2.4::el9Package registry (OSV)
red hat:python39-django0:3.2.22-1.el8ap · Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform:2.4::el8Package registry (OSV)
red hat:python3x-django0:3.2.22-1.el8ap · Red Hat:ansible_automation_platform:2.4::el8Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • A user must open a link or visit a page.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
low · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
none
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
Low
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
None

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-36 · Absolute Path Traversal

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

Attack patterns (CAPEC)

ATT&CK techniques

—

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (4 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records