Skip to content
Noroxi
NVD / CVE Program· CNA redhat

CVE-2012-3489: The xml_parse function in the libxml2 support in the core server component in PostgreSQL 8.3 before 8.3.20, 8.4 before 8.4.13, 9.0 before…

MediumCVSS 6.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 27/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 3% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 87.8% of all records.
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: postgresql-8.4 (Debian:6.0) 8.4.13-0squeeze1; postgresql93 (openSUSE:Tumbleweed) 9.3.15-1.1; postgresql94 (openSUSE:Tumbleweed) 9.4.10-1.1.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to postgresql-8.4 (Debian:6.0) 8.4.13-0squeeze1; postgresql93 (openSUSE:Tumbleweed) 9.3.15-1.1; postgresql94 (openSUSE:Tumbleweed) 9.4.10-1.1 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

The xml_parse function in the libxml2 support in the core server component in PostgreSQL 8.3 before 8.3.20, 8.4 before 8.4.13, 9.0 before 9.0.9, and 9.1 before 9.1.5 allows remote authenticated users to determine the existence of arbitrary files or URLs, and possibly obtain file or URL content that triggers a parsing error, via an XML value that refers to (1) a DTD or (2) an entity, related to an XML External Entity (aka XXE) issue.

Published
Oct 3, 2012
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
3.0% · 87th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

27

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
26 / 40 · 6.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
1 / 30 · 3.0%

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

Follow CVE-2012-3489

When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

One daily email digest (06:00 UTC); connect a webhook for KEV listings and weaponized exploits every 10 minutes on paid plans, on the hour on the free plan.

Is PostgreSQL on your server exposed to the internet?Run a port scan

Your free account also gets you

  • CVE alerts: add the products and versions you run, get the new CVEs that affect them
  • Uptime monitoring: 1 site, instant email when it goes down
  • Add your domain: subdomains and takeover risk scanned every week (1 domain)
  • 10 scans an hour on the security tools, at most 30 a day (3 a day without an account), an API key and MCP
  • All your scans in one panel: findings, what changed in the last scan, a report per domain or per client (PDF, share link)
All free tools

Sign up with email · Have an account? Sign in

Free account, no card. Unfollow any time.

Don't want an account? Get "Exploited this week" by email every MondayDon't want an account? RSS feed for postgresql records

Is PostgreSQL on your server exposed to the internet?Run a port scan

Is your version affected? Check it

Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

We use this product, ask for help

Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
postgresqlpostgresql
opensuseopensuse
applemac os x server
canonicalubuntu linux
debiandebian linux
redhatenterprise linux desktop
redhatenterprise linux eus
redhatenterprise linux server
redhatenterprise linux workstation

Using postgresql? Add it to your stack and be the first to know about CVEs like this one. (PostgreSQL)

Watch new CVEs for postgresql

When you'll hear from us

  • when a new CVE affecting this product is published
  • when a record in your stack enters KEV or is weaponized

One daily email digest (06:00 UTC); connect a webhook for KEV listings and weaponized exploits every 10 minutes on paid plans, on the hour on the free plan.

Is PostgreSQL on your server exposed to the internet?Run a port scan

Your free account also gets you

  • CVE alerts: add the products and versions you run, get the new CVEs that affect them
  • Uptime monitoring: 1 site, instant email when it goes down
  • Add your domain: subdomains and takeover risk scanned every week (1 domain)
  • 10 scans an hour on the security tools, at most 30 a day (3 a day without an account), an API key and MCP
  • All your scans in one panel: findings, what changed in the last scan, a report per domain or per client (PDF, share link)
All free tools

Sign up with email · Have an account? Sign in

Free account, no card. Unfollow any time.

Don't want an account? Get "Exploited this week" by email every Monday

Is PostgreSQL on your server exposed to the internet?

The free port scanner finds the open ports on your server and matches the service versions it can read against known vulnerabilities. No account needed.

Run a port scan

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • postgresql postgresql8.3.0 and later · before 8.3.20
  • postgresql postgresql8.4.0 and later · before 8.4.13
  • postgresql postgresql9.0.0 and later · before 9.0.9
  • postgresql postgresql9.1.0 and later · before 9.1.5

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:6.0postgresql-8.4before 8.4.13-0squeeze18.4.13-0squeeze1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedpostgresql93before 9.3.15-1.19.3.15-1.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedpostgresql94before 9.4.10-1.19.4.10-1.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedpostgresql95before 9.5.4-1.29.5.4-1.2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::clientpostgresql84before 0:8.4.13-1.el5_80:8.4.13-1.el5_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::clientpostgresql84-contribbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el5_80:8.4.13-1.el5_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::clientpostgresql84-debuginfobefore 0:8.4.13-1.el5_80:8.4.13-1.el5_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::clientpostgresql84-docsbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el5_80:8.4.13-1.el5_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::clientpostgresql84-libsbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el5_80:8.4.13-1.el5_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::clientpostgresql84-pythonbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el5_80:8.4.13-1.el5_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::clientpostgresql84-tclbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el5_80:8.4.13-1.el5_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstationpostgresql84-develbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el5_80:8.4.13-1.el5_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstationpostgresql84-plperlbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el5_80:8.4.13-1.el5_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstationpostgresql84-plpythonbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el5_80:8.4.13-1.el5_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstationpostgresql84-pltclbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el5_80:8.4.13-1.el5_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstationpostgresql84-serverbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el5_80:8.4.13-1.el5_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstationpostgresql84-testbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el5_80:8.4.13-1.el5_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::clientpostgresqlbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el6_30:8.4.13-1.el6_3
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::clientpostgresql-contribbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el6_30:8.4.13-1.el6_3
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::clientpostgresql-debuginfobefore 0:8.4.13-1.el6_30:8.4.13-1.el6_3
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::clientpostgresql-develbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el6_30:8.4.13-1.el6_3
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::clientpostgresql-docsbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el6_30:8.4.13-1.el6_3
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::clientpostgresql-libsbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el6_30:8.4.13-1.el6_3
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::clientpostgresql-plperlbefore 0:8.4.13-1.el6_30:8.4.13-1.el6_3

+4

Same product

postgresql: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2017-7546PostgreSQL versions before 9.2.22, 9.3.18, 9.4.13, 9.5.8 and 9.6.4 are vulnerable to incorrect authentication flaw allowing remote…
    57Plan
  • CVE-2019-9193In PostgreSQL 9.3 through 11.2, the "COPY TO/FROM PROGRAM" function allows superusers and users in the 'pg_execute_server_program' group to…
    55Plan
  • CVE-2020-25695A flaw was found in PostgreSQL versions before 13.1, before 12.5, before 11.10, before 10.15, before 9.6.20 and before 9.5.24.
    49Plan

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2012-2655Jul 18, 2012 · PostgreSQL 8.3.x before 8.3.19, 8.4.x before 8.4.12, 9.0.x before 9.0.8, and 9.1.x before 9.1.4 allows remote authenticated users to cause…
    17Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2012-3488Oct 3, 2012 · The libxslt support in contrib/xml2 in PostgreSQL 8.3 before 8.3.20, 8.4 before 8.4.13, 9.0 before 9.0.9, and 9.1 before 9.1.5 does not…
    20Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2012-1618Oct 6, 2012 · Interaction error in the PostgreSQL JDBC driver before 8.2, when used with a PostgreSQL server with the "standard_conforming_strings"…
    31Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
debian:postgresql-8.48.4.13-0squeeze1 · Debian:6.0Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:postgresql939.3.15-1.1 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)
opensuse:postgresql949.4.10-1.1 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)
opensuse:postgresql959.5.4-1.2 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:postgresql840:8.4.13-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:postgresql84-contrib0:8.4.13-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:postgresql84-debuginfo0:8.4.13-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:postgresql84-devel0:8.4.13-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstationPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:postgresql84-docs0:8.4.13-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:postgresql84-libs0:8.4.13-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:postgresql84-plperl0:8.4.13-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstationPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:postgresql84-plpython0:8.4.13-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstationPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:postgresql84-pltcl0:8.4.13-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstationPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:postgresql84-python0:8.4.13-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:postgresql84-server0:8.4.13-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstationPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:postgresql84-tcl0:8.4.13-1.el5_8 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::clientPackage registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · patch commit or PR link · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
none
Availability
none
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
None

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-611 · Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

ATT&CK techniques

—

References

Show all references (19 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records