Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2014-4657 is a very old Ansible issue where a function intended to safely evaluate instructions did not restrict them properly. The reported impact is arbitrary code execution through crafted instructions. Business urgency depends on whether any legacy Ansible version before 1.5.4 is still used in automation workflows.
Executive priority
Prioritize investigation if the organization still runs legacy Ansible. Arbitrary code execution in automation tooling can affect privileged deployment systems, but this CVE is old and the provided sources do not show active exploitation.
Technical view
Ansible before 1.5.4 had insufficient restrictions in safe_eval. The CVE description states that remote attackers could execute arbitrary code with crafted instructions. The source bundle does not include CVSS, CWE, detailed affected CPEs, exploit prerequisites, or a full vendor advisory.
Likely exposure
Exposure appears limited to legacy Ansible installations before 1.5.4. Organizations should check automation servers, CI/CD images, packaged appliances, and old administrative workstations for obsolete Ansible copies. The bundle does not identify other affected products.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited evidence of active exploitation. It does state remote arbitrary code execution is possible, but does not provide exploit maturity, authentication requirements, or network exposure details.
Researcher notes
The evidence is sparse: the CVE record names Ansible before 1.5.4 and safe_eval, but no CVSS, CWE, detailed exploit conditions, or maintained advisory are included. Treat version confirmation and source trust boundaries as the key validation points.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade Ansible installations older than 1.5.4 to a fixed or supported version.
- Check the Ansible changelog and vendor guidance for the applicable fixed release path.
- Remove obsolete Ansible packages from build images, automation hosts, and developer workstations.
- Restrict who can supply or modify automation instructions processed by legacy Ansible.
- Review automation host access controls and logs for suspicious administrative activity.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Ansible versions across CI/CD, automation hosts, containers, and administrator systems.
- Flag any Ansible version earlier than 1.5.4 for remediation.
- Confirm no untrusted users can provide crafted instructions to legacy Ansible workflows.
- Review package locks, base images, and appliance inventories for bundled Ansible copies.
- Document the upgrade evidence and any remaining exceptions.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
Execution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2014-4657 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/release1.5.5/CHANGELOG.mdCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- 68232CVE reference · vdb-entry, x_refsource_BID
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.