CVE-2021-3583

Improper Input Validation and Command Injection in Ansible

A flaw was found in Ansible, where a user's controller is vulnerable to template injection. This issue can occur through facts used in the template if the user is trying to put templates in multi-line YAML strings and the facts being handled do not routinely include special template characters. This flaw allows attackers to perform command injection, which discloses sensitive information. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to confidentiality and integrity.

The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths. Typical impact: varies by context: data corruption, logic bypass, or denial of service.

CVE-2021-3583 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (High). 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. A fixed version is available (2.9.23rc1, 2.10.11rc1, 2.11.2rc1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

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1. What is CVE-2021-3583? CVE-2021-3583 is a high-severity improper input validation vulnerability in ansible (pip), affecting versions >= 0, < 2.9.23rc1. It is fixed in 2.9.23rc1, 2.10.11rc1, 2.11.2rc1. The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths.
2. How severe is CVE-2021-3583? CVE-2021-3583 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (High). 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.
3. Which versions of ansible are affected by CVE-2021-3583? ansible (pip) versions >= 0, < 2.9.23rc1 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2021-3583? Yes. CVE-2021-3583 is fixed in 2.9.23rc1, 2.10.11rc1, 2.11.2rc1. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2021-3583 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2021-3583 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
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2021-3583 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.
7. How do I fix CVE-2021-3583?
   • Upgrade ansible to 2.9.23rc1 or later
   • Upgrade ansible to 2.10.11rc1 or later
   • Upgrade ansible to 2.11.2rc1 or later

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