CVE-2019-14905

Managed-device command execution via unvalidated file paths

Published Mar 31, 2020 · Updated Aug 5, 2024

Command injection in Ansible 2.7.x, 2.8.x, and 2.9.x allows local users to execute commands on managed NX-OS devices. The nxos_file_copy action plugin accepts local_file, local_file_directory, and remote_file as unrestricted strings, allowing shell metacharacters in a crafted filename to reach file-copy command construction. Exploitation requires control of module filename parameters and privileges to run Ansible against an NX-OS device; consequences include command execution and disclosure on that device.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.74%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in Ansible 2.7.x, 2.8.x, and 2.9.x allows local users to execute commands on managed NX-OS devices. The nxos_file_copy action plugin accepts local_file, local_file_directory, and remote_file as unrestricted strings, allowing shell metacharacters in a crafted filename to reach file-copy command construction. Exploitation requires control of module filename parameters and privileges to run Ansible against an NX-OS device; consequences include command execution and disclosure on that device.

The record

CVE
CVE-2019-14905
Published
Mar 31, 2020
Updated
Aug 5, 2024
Vendor
Red Hat
Product
Ansible
Classifications
CWE-20, CWE-73, T1059
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 31, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=2.7.x and earlier
  2. Affected versionversion=2.7.x before 2.7.16
  3. Affected versionversion=2.8.x before 2.8.8
  4. Affected versionversion=2.9.x before 2.9.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Red Hat · Ansibleversion=2.7.x and earlier; version=2.7.x before 2.7.16; version=2.8.x before 2.8.8; version=2.9.x before 2.9.3

Published CVSS scores

4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
5.6NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:L
7.3Red Hat, Inc.CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
CWE-73External Control of File Name or Path
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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