Description
A flaw was found in ansible-core. When a task marked `no_log: true` fails, the task result is censored before being emitted, but the `exception` field is retained because it is present in the PRESERVE allow-list in lib/ansible/_internal/_task.py, and the default stdout callback prints it through CallbackBase._handle_exception. As a result, sensitive values the operator explicitly asked to hide can be disclosed: module argument-validation errors echo the argument value, templating errors print an Origin source snippet (the failing line plus the two preceding lines of the variables file, exposing neighbouring secrets from an -e @secrets.yml file), and fail/assert messages are printed in full. Secret material supplied as extra variables or variables files can therefore leak to terminal output, CI logs, and the stdout logs of any automation wrapping ansible-playbook, even though every task touching the secrets is marked no_log: true. This is a regression introduced with the ansible-core 2.19 data-tagging/templating rework; the behaviour does not occur on 2.16, where the error text is correctly censored.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat | ansible-core | 2.19.0 – < 2.23.0 | 2.23.0 |
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 | ansible-core | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 13 | ansible-core | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 12 | ansible-core | No fix yet | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.10 | ansible +1 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | ansible +1 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | ansible +1 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | ansible-core | No fix yet | — |
Show 5 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 22.04 LTS | ansible | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | ansible | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 18.04 LTS | ansible | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS | ansible | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS | ansible | No fix yet | — |
Advisories 1
- WID-SEC-2026-4369 Ansible: Schwachstelle ermöglicht Offenlegung von Informationen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 5, 2026