Description
When instructing cloud-init to set a random password for a new user account, versions before 21.2 would write that password to the world-readable log file /var/log/cloud-init-output.log. This could allow a local user to log in as another user.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canonical | cloud-init | < 21.2 | 21.2 |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | cloud-init | 20.4.1-2 | — |
| Debian 13 | cloud-init | 20.4.1-2 | — |
| Debian 12 | cloud-init | 20.4.1-2 | — |
| Debian 9 | cloud-init | 0.7.9-2+deb9u1 | DLA-2601-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | cloud-init | 21.1-19-gbad84ad4-0ubuntu1~20.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | cloud-init | 21.1-19-gbad84ad4-0ubuntu1~18.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | cloud-init | 21.1-19-gbad84ad4-0ubuntu1~16.04.1 | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 8 | cloud-init | 20.3-10.el8_4.5 | RHSA-2021:3081 |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 8.2 EUS | cloud-init | 18.5-12.el8_2.10 | RHSA-2021:3371 |
| RHEL 8.1 EUS | cloud-init | 18.5-7.el8_1.6 | RHSA-2021:3177 |
Rocky Linux
Errata ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Linux 8 | cloud-init | 20.3-10.el8_4.5 | RLSA-2021:3081 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP5 | cloud-init | 23.1-150100.8.66.1 | SUSE-FU-2023:3283-1 |
| SLES 15 SP4 | cloud-init | 23.1-150100.8.66.1 | SUSE-FU-2023:3283-1 |
| SLES 15 SP3 | cloud-init | 23.1-150100.8.66.1 | SUSE-FU-2023:3283-1 |
| SLES 15 SP2 | cloud-init | 23.1-150100.8.66.1 | SUSE-FU-2023:3283-1 |
| SLES 15 SP1 | cloud-init | 23.1-150100.8.66.1 | SUSE-FU-2023:3283-1 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 | cloud-init | 20.2-37.57.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2164-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | cloud-init | 23.1-2.1 | openSUSE-SU-2024:13053-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | cloud-init | 23.1-150100.8.66.1 | SUSE-FU-2023:3283-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.4 | cloud-init | 23.1-150100.8.66.1 | SUSE-FU-2023:3283-1 |
Alpine
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.24 | cloud-init | 21.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.23 | cloud-init | 21.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.22 | cloud-init | 21.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.21 | cloud-init | 21.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.20 | cloud-init | 21.1-r1 | — |
Show 7 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.19 | cloud-init | 21.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.18 | cloud-init | 21.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.17 | cloud-init | 21.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.16 | cloud-init | 21.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.15 | cloud-init | 21.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.14 | cloud-init | 21.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.13 | cloud-init | 20.4.1-r1 | — |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2 | cloud-init | 19.3-43.amzn2 | ALAS2-2021-1620 |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 8 | cloud-init | 20.3-10.0.1.el8_4.5 | ELSA-2021-3081 |
Advisories 11
- DLA-2601-1 cloud-init - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- RLSA-2021:3081 Moderate: cloud-init security update Rocky Linux Security Advisories · Feb 5, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:13053-1 cloud-init-23.1-2.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-FU-2023:3283-1 Feature update for cloud-init SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2023:2164-1 Security update for cloud-init SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- RHSA-2021:3371 Red Hat Security Advisory: cloud-init security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
- RHSA-2021:3177 Red Hat Security Advisory: cloud-init security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
- RHSA-2021:3081 Red Hat Security Advisory: cloud-init security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
- WID-SEC-2025-0214 Red Hat Enterprise Linux (cloud-init): Schwachstelle ermöglicht Offenlegung von Informationen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Jan 29, 2025
- ELSA-2021-3081 Moderate: cloud-init security update (Oracle Linux 8) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Aug 12, 2021
- ALAS2-2021-1620 Moderate: cloud-init security update (Amazon Linux 2) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Mar 19, 2021