# CVE-2026-44187: Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed plaintext API key storage in VS Code extension

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-44187-red-hat-ansible-lightspeed-plaintext-api-key-storage-in-vs-code  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-07-22. Updated: 2026-07-22  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-44187 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.3 · Published 2026-07-22

A security flaw in the Ansible Lightspeed extension for Visual Studio Code allows sensitive Google Gemini API keys to be stored in plain text. An attacker with physical access to a developer's computer, or malicious software running on that computer, could steal these keys. This could lead to unauthorized use of the victim's AI service quota and potential exposure of associated account data.

Technologies: [Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed extension for Visual Studio Code](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/ansible-lightspeed-extension-for-visual-studio-code). Vendors: [Red Hat](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/red-hat).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-44187 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-44187 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-44187?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.3, published 22 July 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed extension for Visual Studio Code unspecified.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-44187?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-44187 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-44187?** Check whether you run Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed extension for Visual Studio Code 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.

## Technical details

An information disclosure vulnerability exists in the Ansible Lightspeed extension for Visual Studio Code due to the insecure storage of credentials (CWE-256). The extension writes the Google Gemini API key in plain text to the user's configuration file and output log files. A local attacker with low privileges or malware executing in the user's context can read these files to obtain the API key. This allows for the unauthorized consumption of the user's API quota. The issue was identified in Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform versions 2.5 and 2.6.

## Affected products

- Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed extension for Visual Studio Code unspecified
- Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2 2.5, 2.6

## Timeline

- 2026-05-05: other: Initial report in Red Hat Bugzilla
- 2026-07-22: disclosed: NVD publication date

## References

- [https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/](https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/)
- [https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-44187](https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-44187)
- [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2466765](https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2466765)

## Related threats

- [Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed extension command injection in VS Code](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-44191-red-hat-ansible-lightspeed-extension-command-injection-in-vs-code)
- [Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed extension command injection in AnsiblePlaybookRunProvider](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-44189-red-hat-ansible-lightspeed-extension-command-injection-in)