# CVE-2019-14904: OS Command Injection and Improper Input Validation in ansible

> An attacker can execute arbitrary commands on a remote Solaris host by crafting a malicious zone name in the Ansible solaris_zone module.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Aug 2020
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2019-14904, CLSA-2026-1777489309, CLSA-2026-1777614493, DEBIAN-CVE-2019-14904, GHSA-gwr8-5j83-483c, PYSEC-2020-161, UBUNTU-CVE-2019-14904

## What is CVE-2019-14904?

CVE-2019-14904 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 25 Aug 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A flaw was found in the solaris_zone module from the Ansible Community modules. When setting the name for the zone on the Solaris host, the zone name is checked by listing the process with the 'ps' bare command on the remote machine. An attacker could take advantage of this flaw by crafting the name of the zone and executing arbitrary commands in the remote host. Ansible Engine 2.7.15, 2.8.7, and 2.9.2 as well as previous versions are affected.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command), CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-14904?

7 open source packages ship an affected version, including ansible. It affects 2 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `ansible` | PyPI | All versions | 2.7.15, 2.8.7, 2.9.2 |
| `ansible` | PyPI | All versions | 2.7.16 |
| `ansible` | PyPI | All versions | 2.7.16 |
| `ansible` | PyPI | From 2.8.0a1 | 2.8.8 |
| `ansible` | PyPI | From 2.8.0a1 | 2.8.8 |
| `ansible` | PyPI | From 2.9.0a1 | 2.9.3 |
| `ansible` | PyPI | From 2.9.0a1 | 2.9.3 |

Products: Debian Debian Linux, Redhat Ansible.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-14904?

Upgrade ansible to a fixed version for your release line: 2.7.15, 2.8.7, 2.9.2 or 2.7.16.

## Is CVE-2019-14904 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-14904 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-14904 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-14904 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 25 Aug 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-14904 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- ansible (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2.7.15, 2.8.7, 2.9.2
- ansible (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2.7.16
- ansible (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2.7.16
- ansible (PyPI): affected from 2.8.0a1; fixed in 2.8.8
- ansible (PyPI): affected from 2.8.0a1; fixed in 2.8.8
- ansible (PyPI): affected from 2.9.0a1; fixed in 2.9.3
- ansible (PyPI): affected from 2.9.0a1; fixed in 2.9.3

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-14904/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-14904/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-14904
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-14904
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-14904

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-14904/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.