Summary
Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource in Ansible
A flaw was found in Ansible Engine when a file is moved using atomic_move primitive as the file mode cannot be specified. This sets the destination files world-readable if the destination file does not exist and if the file exists, the file could be changed to have less restrictive permissions before the move. This could lead to the disclosure of sensitive data. All versions in 2.7.x, 2.8.x and 2.9.x branches are believed to be vulnerable.
Impact
A file, directory, or other resource is assigned permissions that allow broader access than intended. Typical impact: unauthorized read, modification, or execution of the resource.
CVE-2020-1736 has a CVSS score of 3.3 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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In the interim: Set file and resource permissions to the minimum required. Audit permissions as part of deployment.
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2020-1736? CVE-2020-1736 is a medium-severity incorrect permission assignment for critical resource vulnerability in ansible (pip), affecting versions >= 2.7.0, <= 2.10.0. No fixed version is listed yet. A file, directory, or other resource is assigned permissions that allow broader access than intended.
- How severe is CVE-2020-1736? CVE-2020-1736 has a CVSS score of 3.3 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of ansible are affected by CVE-2020-1736? ansible (pip) versions >= 2.7.0, <= 2.10.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2020-1736? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2020-1736 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2020-1736 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2020-1736 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2020-1736 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2020-1736? No fixed version is listed yet. In the interim: Set file and resource permissions to the minimum required. Audit permissions as part of deployment.