What is CVE-2015-0241?

CVE-2015-0241 is a high-severity vulnerability in PostgreSQL, classified under Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input (Classic Buffer Overflow). CVSS score: 8.8/10. Published 2020-01-27.

How severe is CVE-2015-0241?

High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 8.8 out of 10.

Is CVE-2015-0241 known to be exploited?

3 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Buffer overflow in PostgreSQL

CVE-2015-0241

The to_char function in PostgreSQL before 9.0.19, 9.1.x before 9.1.15, 9.2.x before 9.2.10, 9.3.x before 9.3.6, and 9.4.x before 9.4.1 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a (1) large number of digits when processing a numeric formatting template, which triggers a buffer over-read, or (2) crafted timestamp formatting template, which triggers a buffer overflow.

Vulnerability class: Buffer Overflow

Published 2020-01-27 · last modified 2026-06-17.

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 8.8 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

EPSS exploit prediction

EPSS: 0.055 (92.5th percentile), scored 2026-09-29.

Low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, but still tracked. 93rd percentile — 92.5% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.055 · newest: 0.055 · change: 0.000

Affected products

PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL Global Development Group — versions 9.3.x before 9.3.6, before 9.0.19, 9.2.x before 9.2.10
Debian Linux — versions 7.0, 8.0

Weakness classification (CWE)

CWE-120 — Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input (Classic Buffer Overflow)

Public proof-of-concept exploits

References

www.postgresql.org/docs/9.4/static/release-9-4-1.html (Release Notes, Vendor Advisory)
www.postgresql.org/docs/current/static/release-9-0-19.html (Release Notes, Vendor Advisory)
www.postgresql.org/docs/current/static/release-9-1-15.html (Release Notes, Vendor Advisory)
www.postgresql.org/docs/current/static/release-9-2-10.html (Release Notes, Vendor Advisory)
www.postgresql.org/docs/current/static/release-9-3-6.html (Release Notes, Vendor Advisory)
www.postgresql.org/about/news/1569/ (Vendor Advisory)
www.debian.org/security/2015/dsa-3155 (Third Party Advisory)

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2015-0241?: CVE-2015-0241 is a high-severity vulnerability in PostgreSQL, classified under Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input (Classic Buffer Overflow). CVSS score: 8.8/10. Published 2020-01-27.
How severe is CVE-2015-0241?: High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 8.8 out of 10.
Is CVE-2015-0241 known to be exploited?: 3 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.