A vulnerability was found in postgresql versions 11.x prior to 11.3.
A vulnerability was found in postgresql versions 11.x prior to 11.3. The Windows installer for BigSQL-supplied PostgreSQL does not lock down the ACL of the binary installation directory or the ACL of the data directory; it keeps the inherited ACL. In the default configuration, an attacker having both an unprivileged Windows account and an unprivileged PostgreSQL account can cause the PostgreSQL service account to execute arbitrary code. An attacker having only the unprivileged Windows account can read arbitrary data directory files, essentially bypassing database-imposed read access limitations. An attacker having only the unprivileged Windows account can also delete certain data directory files.
- Published
- Mar 19, 2021
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.3% · 23th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-284
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Report tools
Action score
35
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 35 / 40 · 8.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.3%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| postgresql | postgresql | cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql |
| microsoft | windows | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows |
Using postgresql? Add it to your stack and be the first to know about CVEs like this one. (PostgreSQL)
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- postgresql postgresqlbefore 9.4.22
- postgresql postgresql9.5.0 and later · before 9.5.17
- postgresql postgresql9.6.0 and later · before 9.6.13
- postgresql postgresql10.0 and later · before 10.8
- postgresql postgresql11.0 and later · before 11.3
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (redhat). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
n/a postgresql
- 11.x prior to 11.3affected
Same product
postgresql: all recordsOther 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 attackers57Plan
- 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
- CVE-2007-3280The Database Link library (dblink) in PostgreSQL 8.1 implements functions via CREATE statements that map to arbitrary libraries based on the44Plan
- CVE-2013-1899Argument injection vulnerability in PostgreSQL 9.2.x before 9.2.4, 9.1.x before 9.1.9, and 9.0.x before 9.0.13 allows remote attackers to ca42Plan
- CVE-2018-16850postgresql before versions 11.1, 10.6 is vulnerable to a to SQL injection in pg_upgrade and pg_dump via CREATE TRIGGER ...41Plan
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.
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.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Someone with local access to the system 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
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
Impact can extend beyond the vulnerable component (scope changes).
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-284 · Improper Access ControlCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
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.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Embedding Scripts within ScriptsCAPEC-19likelihood: High · High
- Malicious Logic InsertionCAPEC-441likelihood: Medium · High
- Modification of Windows Service ConfigurationCAPEC-478likelihood: Low · High
- Malicious Root CertificateCAPEC-479likelihood: Low · Low
- Intent SpoofCAPEC-502
- WebView ExposureCAPEC-503
- Data Injected During ConfigurationCAPEC-536likelihood: Low · High
- Incomplete Data Deletion in a Multi-Tenant EnvironmentCAPEC-546likelihood: Low · Medium
ATT&CK techniques
- RootkitT1014
- Obfuscated Files or Information: Embedded PayloadsT1027.009
- Boot or Logon Initialization ScriptsT1037
- Taint shared contentT1080
- Server Software Component: Terminal Services DLLT1505.005
- Pre-OS Boot:BootkitT1542.003
- Create or Modify System ProcessT1543
- Create or Modify System Process: Launch AgentT1543.001
- Create or Modify System Process:Windows ServiceT1543.003
- Create or Modify System Process: Launch DaemonT1543.004
- Event Triggered Execution:Change Default File AssociationT1546.001
- Event Triggered Execution:.bash_profile and .bashrcT1546.004
- Event Triggered Execution: Accessibility FeaturesT1546.008
- Event Triggered Execution: Installer PackagesT1546.016
- Boot or Logon Autostart ExecutionT1547
- Boot or Logon Autostart Execution:Kernel Modules and ExtensionsT1547.006
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.
References
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1707098
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210430-0004/
- www.postgresql.org/about/news/1939/
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.