Vulnerability in PostgreSQL
CVE-2017-12172
PostgreSQL 10.x before 10.1, 9.6.x before 9.6.6, 9.5.x before 9.5.10, 9.4.x before 9.4.15, 9.3.x before 9.3.20, and 9.2.x before 9.2.24 runs under a non-root operating system account, and database superusers have effective ability to run arbitrary code under that system account. PostgreSQL provides a script for starting the database server during system boot. Packages of PostgreSQL for many operating systems provide their own, packager-authored startup implementations. Several implementations use a log file name that the database superuser can replace with a symbolic link. As root, they open(), chmod() and/or chown() this log file name. This often suffices for the database superuser to escalate to root privileges when root starts the server.
Published · last modified .
CVSS v3 metric
CVSS v3 base score 6.7 (Medium). Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
EPSS exploit prediction
EPSS: 0.006 (45.9th percentile), scored .
Very low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days; routine patching cadence is appropriate. 46th percentile — 45.9% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.
EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.006 · newest: 0.006 · change: 0.000
Affected products
- PostgreSQL — versions 9.2, 9.2.1, 9.2.2
- Red Hat, Inc. PostgreSQL — versions 10.x before 10.1, 9.6.x before 9.6.6, 9.5.x before 9.5.10, 9.4.x before 9.4.15, 9.3.x before 9.3.20, 9.2.x before 9.2.24
Weakness classification (CWE)
Public proof-of-concept exploits
References
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3402 (vendor-advisory, Third Party Advisory, Issue Tracking)
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/101949 (VDB Entry, Third Party Advisory, vdb-entry)
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3403 (vendor-advisory, Third Party Advisory, Issue Tracking)
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3405 (vendor-advisory, Third Party Advisory, Issue Tracking)
- www.postgresql.org/support/security/ (Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory)
- www.securitytracker.com/id/1039752 (VDB Entry, Third Party Advisory, vdb-entry)
- www.postgresql.org/about/news/1801/ (Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory)
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3404 (vendor-advisory, Third Party Advisory, Issue Tracking)
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2017-12172?
- CVE-2017-12172 is a medium-severity vulnerability in PostgreSQL, classified under Improper Link Resolution Before File Access. CVSS score: 6.7/10. Published 2017-11-22.
- How severe is CVE-2017-12172?
- Medium severity. CVSS v3 base score is 6.7 out of 10.
- Is CVE-2017-12172 known to be exploited?
- 2 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.