Ansible Configuration Exposure

What is "Ansible Configuration Exposure?"

The "Ansible Configuration Exposure" module is designed to detect misconfigurations in Ansible configurations. Ansible is an open-source automation tool that allows users to define and manage infrastructure as code. This module specifically targets the exposure of sensitive configuration files in Ansible, which can lead to potential security risks.

This module has a severity level of medium, indicating that the detected misconfigurations can have moderate impact on the security of the system.

Impact

If misconfigurations are detected by this module, it could potentially expose sensitive information stored in Ansible configuration files. This can include credentials, API keys, or other sensitive data that should not be publicly accessible. Attackers who gain access to these exposed configuration files may be able to exploit the vulnerabilities and compromise the system's security.

How the module works?

The "Ansible Configuration Exposure" module works by sending HTTP requests to specific paths in the target system, looking for specific patterns in the response. In this case, it sends a GET request to the "/ansible.cfg" path and checks for the presence of certain keywords, such as "[defaults]" and "[inventory]". If these keywords are found, it indicates that the configuration file may be exposed.

The module uses matching conditions to determine if the response contains all the specified keywords. It uses the "word" matcher type with the "all" part condition, meaning that all the specified words must be present in the response for a match to occur.

By detecting these misconfigurations, the module helps identify potential security risks and allows system administrators to take appropriate actions to secure their Ansible configurations.