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…
Does this matter?
Lower severity and a low EPSS score (0.59%). Track it; it rarely justifies an emergency change on its own.
Description
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.
- CVSS 3.0
- 6.7 MEDIUMCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 0.59% probability · 48th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-59
- Affected
- postgresql/postgresql
- Source
- secalert@redhat.com
EPSS 0.6% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/101949Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1039752Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3402Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3403Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3404Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3405Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.postgresql.org/about/news/1801/Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/101949Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1039752Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3402Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3403Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3404Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3405Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.postgresql.org/about/news/1801/Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.