Vulnerability in PostgreSQL

CVE-2026-6478

Covert timing channel in comparison of MD5-hashed password in PostgreSQL authentication allows an attacker to recover user credentials sufficient to authenticate. This does not affect scram-sha-256 passwords, the default in all supported releases. However, current databases may have MD5-hashed passwords originating in upgrades from PostgreSQL 13 or earlier. Versions before PostgreSQL 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 are affected.

EPSS: 0.006 (44.4th percentile) — read the EPSS interpretation.

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 6.5 (Medium). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N.

Affected products

Weakness classification (CWE)

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-6478?
CVE-2026-6478 is a medium-severity vulnerability in PostgreSQL, classified under CWE-385. CVSS score: 6.5/10. Published 2026-05-14.
How severe is CVE-2026-6478?
Medium severity. CVSS v3 base score is 6.5 out of 10.