CVE-2026-44187
Description
A flaw was found in the Ansible Lightspeed extension for Visual Studio Code. This vulnerability allows an attacker with local access to the workstation, or malware running with the user's privileges, to read the Google Gemini API key. The extension insecurely stores the API key in plain text within the user's configuration file and writes it to output log files. This information disclosure can lead to the attacker obtaining the API credential and potentially consuming the user's API quota.
Statement
This flaw has a Low impact, as it requires local access to the workstation or malware with user privileges to exploit. The Ansible Lightspeed extension for Visual Studio Code stores the Google Gemini API key in plaintext within the user's configuration and log files, potentially exposing the credential and allowing unauthorized API quota consumption.
Note the VS Code extension is distributed via VS Code Marketplace, not shipped in AAP RPMs or containers.
Mitigation
Users should immediately rotate and remove any exposed Google Gemini API keys. The API key entry must be manually removed from the ~/.config/Code/User/settings.json file. Additionally, ensure secure handling or purging of log files that may contain the API key.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 3.3 | N/A | 3.3 |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | Local |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | Low |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | Low | N/A | Low |
| Integrity Impact | None | N/A | None |
| Availability Impact | None | N/A | None |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Access Control
Technical Impact: Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
Storing a plaintext password in a configuration file allows anyone who can read the file to access the password-protected resource. In some contexts, even storage of a plaintext password in memory is considered a security risk if the password is not cleared immediately after it is used.
Acknowledgements
This issue was discovered by Laura Pardo (Red Hat Inc.).
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