cloud-init: default configuration disabled deletion of SSH host keys
Published Aug 1, 2018
7.1
HIGHCVSS 3.1
EPSS 0.35%
Description
The default cloud-init configuration, in cloud-init 0.6.2 and newer, included "ssh_deletekeys: 0", disabling cloud-init's deletion of ssh host keys. In some environments, this could lead to instances created by cloning a golden master or template system, sharing ssh host keys, and being able to impersonate one another or conduct man-in-the-middle attacks.
Affected products
-
- Version 0.6.2StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canonical | Cloud-Init | n/a |
|
- ≥ 0.6.2 · < 18.4
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
cloud-init-0:19.4-7.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2020:3898
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
cloud-init-0:19.4-1.el8.7
Fixed · RHSA-2020:3050
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Extended Update Support
cloud-init-0:18.5-12.el8_2.3
Fixed · RHSA-2020:3644
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
cloud-init
Will not fix
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | cloud-init-0:19.4-7.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:3898 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | cloud-init-0:19.4-1.el8.7 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:3050 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Extended Update Support | cloud-init-0:18.5-12.el8_2.3 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:3644 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | cloud-init | Will not fix | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
No remediation recorded yet.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
Score over time
2021–2026- EPSS v1
- EPSS v5
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v5
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
Table of values (10 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 0.35% (0.00351) | 26.42th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Sep 20, 2026 | 0.35% (0.00351) | 28.85th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jul 20, 2024 | 0.05% (0.00051) | 20.49th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| May 22, 2024 | 0.05% (0.00051) | 19.56th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Sep 3, 2023 | 0.05% (0.00051) | 17.46th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.05% (0.00047) | 14.26th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 0.89% (0.00890) | 30.33th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 0.89% (0.00890) | 12.04th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 0.83% (0.00833) | 24.58th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 0.83% (0.00833) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (7)
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2018-10896 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugs.launchpad.net/cloud-init/+bug/1781094 x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1574338 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingThird Party Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1598831 Issue Tracking
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-10896 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-10896
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-10896
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2018-10896 | Vendor Advisory | |
| https://bugs.launchpad.net/cloud-init/+bug/1781094 | x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchThird Party Advisory | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1574338 | x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingThird Party Advisory | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1598831 | Issue Tracking | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-10896 | x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory | |
| https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-10896 | ||
| https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-10896 |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.