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.

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.

EPSS: 0.006 (44.6th percentile) — read the EPSS interpretation.

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.

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)

CWE-59 — Improper Link Resolution Before File Access

Public proof-of-concept exploits

References

secalert@redhat.com (x_refsource_REDHAT, vendor-advisory, Third Party Advisory, Issue Tracking)
secalert@redhat.com (VDB Entry, Third Party Advisory, vdb-entry, x_refsource_BID)
secalert@redhat.com (x_refsource_REDHAT, vendor-advisory, Third Party Advisory, Issue Tracking)
secalert@redhat.com (x_refsource_REDHAT, vendor-advisory, Third Party Advisory, Issue Tracking)
secalert@redhat.com (x_refsource_MISC, Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory)
secalert@redhat.com (VDB Entry, Third Party Advisory, vdb-entry, x_refsource_SECTRACK)
secalert@redhat.com (x_refsource_CONFIRM, Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory)
secalert@redhat.com (x_refsource_REDHAT, 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.