# CVE-2021-20178: Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File in ansible

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2021-20178-insertion-of-sensitive-information-into-log-file-in-ansible  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2021-05-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2021-20178 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.1 · Published 2021-05-26

A flaw was found in ansible module where credentials are disclosed in the console log by default and not protected by the security feature when using the bitbucket_pipeline_variable module. This flaw allows an attacker to steal bitbucket_pipeline credentials. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to confidentiality.

Technologies: [ansible (PyPI)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/ansible). Vendors: [PyPI](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/pypi).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2021-20178 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2021-20178 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2021-20178?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.1, published 26 May 2021.

**Which products and versions are affected?** ansible (PyPI) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=2.9.18.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2021-20178?** Yes. ansible (PyPI): upgrade to 2.9.18 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**Am I affected by CVE-2021-20178?** Check whether you run ansible (PyPI) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- ansible (PyPI): upgrade to 2.9.18 or later

  ```sh
  pip install "ansible>=2.9.18"
  ```


## Affected products

- ansible (PyPI) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=2.9.18

## Identifiers

- CVE-2021-20178
- GHSA-wv5p-gmmv-wh9v
- PYSEC-2021-106

## Related threats

- [PYSEC-2026-1120 - Ansible symlink attack vulnerability](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2023-5115-ansible-symlink-attack-vulnerability)
- [PYSEC-2026-768 - Ansible leaks password to logs](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2022-3697-ansible-leaks-password-to-logs)
- [PYSEC-2026-618 - Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File in ansible](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2021-20180-insertion-of-sensitive-information-into-log-file-in-ansible)
- [Ansible community.general information exposure in Keycloak user module](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-14010-ansible-community-general-information-exposure-in-keycloak-user)
- [Ansible discloses sensitive information in traceback error message](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2021-3620-ansible-discloses-sensitive-information-in-traceback-error-message)