How severe is CVE-2021-20228?

CVE-2021-20228 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2021-20228 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (79th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-20228?

CVE-2021-20228 primarily affects Redhat Ansible Engine. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-20228?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2021-20228 published?

CVE-2021-20228 was published on 2021-04-29 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-20228

CVE-2021-20228 is a high-severity vulnerability in Redhat Ansible Engine with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-200.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (79th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-200
Affected product: Redhat Ansible Engine
Published: 2021-04-29
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A flaw was found in the Ansible Engine 2.9.18, where sensitive info is not masked by default and is not protected by the no_log feature when using the sub-option feature of the basic.py module. This flaw allows an attacker to obtain sensitive information. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to confidentiality.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-20228?: A flaw was found in the Ansible Engine 2.9.18, where sensitive info is not masked by default and is not protected by the no_log feature when using the sub-option feature of the basic.py module. This flaw allows an attacker to obtain sensitive information. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to confidentiality.
How severe is CVE-2021-20228?: CVE-2021-20228 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2021-20228 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (79th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-20228?: CVE-2021-20228 primarily affects Redhat Ansible Engine. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-20228?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2021-20228 published?: CVE-2021-20228 was published on 2021-04-29 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (6)

cpe:2.3:a:redhat:ansible_engine:2.9.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:ansible_automation_platform:1.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:ansible_engine:2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:ansible_engine:2.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:ansible_tower:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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