When the server is configured to use trust authentication with a clientcert requirement or to use cert authentication, a man-in-the-middle attacker can inject arbitrary SQL queries when a connection is first established, despite the use of SSL certificate verification and encryption.

An information leak was discovered in postgresql in versions before 13.2, before 12.6 and before 11.11. A user having UPDATE permission but not SELECT permission to a particular column could craft queries which, under some circumstances, might disclose values from that column in error messages. An attacker could use this flaw to obtain information stored in a column they are allowed to write but not read.

A vulnerability was found in postgresql versions 11.x prior to 11.3. The Windows installer for EnterpriseDB-supplied PostgreSQL does not lock down the ACL of the binary installation directory or the ACL of the data directory; it keeps the inherited ACL. In the default configuration, this allows a local attacker to read arbitrary data directory files, essentially bypassing database-imposed read access limitations. In plausible non-default configurations, an attacker having both an unprivileged Windows account and an unprivileged PostgreSQL account can cause the PostgreSQL service account to execute arbitrary code.

A vulnerability was found in postgresql versions 11.x prior to 11.3. The Windows installer for BigSQL-supplied PostgreSQL does not lock down the ACL of the binary installation directory or the ACL of the data directory; it keeps the inherited ACL. In the default configuration, an attacker having both an unprivileged Windows account and an unprivileged PostgreSQL account can cause the PostgreSQL service account to execute arbitrary code. An attacker having only the unprivileged Windows account can read arbitrary data directory files, essentially bypassing database-imposed read access limitations. An attacker having only the unprivileged Windows account can also delete certain data directory files.

A flaw was found in PostgreSQL versions before 13.1, before 12.5, before 11.10, before 10.15, before 9.6.20 and before 9.5.24. An attacker having permission to create non-temporary objects in at least one schema can execute arbitrary SQL functions under the identity of a superuser. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to data confidentiality and integrity as well as system availability.

A flaw was found in PostgreSQL versions before 13.1, before 12.5, before 11.10, before 10.15, before 9.6.20 and before 9.5.24. If a client application that creates additional database connections only reuses the basic connection parameters while dropping security-relevant parameters, an opportunity for a man-in-the-middle attack, or the ability to observe clear-text transmissions, could exist. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to data confidentiality and integrity as well as system availability.

contrib/pgcrypto in PostgreSQL before 9.0.20, 9.1.x before 9.1.16, 9.2.x before 9.2.11, 9.3.x before 9.3.7, and 9.4.x before 9.4.2 uses different error responses when an incorrect key is used, which makes it easier for attackers to obtain the key via a brute force attack.

The snprintf implementation in PostgreSQL before 9.0.20, 9.1.x before 9.1.16, 9.2.x before 9.2.11, 9.3.x before 9.3.7, and 9.4.x before 9.4.2 does not properly handle system-call errors, which allows attackers to obtain sensitive information or have other unspecified impact via unknown vectors, as demonstrated by an out-of-memory error.

Postgresql Windows installer before versions 11.5, 10.10, 9.6.15, 9.5.19, 9.4.24 is vulnerable via bundled OpenSSL executing code from unprotected directory.

Postgresql Windows installer before versions 11.5, 10.10, 9.6.15, 9.5.19, 9.4.24 is vulnerable via superuser writing password to unprotected temporary file.

** DISPUTED ** In PostgreSQL 9.3 through 11.2, the "COPY TO/FROM PROGRAM" function allows superusers and users in the 'pg_execute_server_program' group to execute arbitrary code in the context of the database's operating system user. This functionality is enabled by default and can be abused to run arbitrary operating system commands on Windows, Linux, and macOS. NOTE: Third parties claim/state this is not an issue because PostgreSQL functionality for ‘COPY TO/FROM PROGRAM’ is acting as intended. References state that in PostgreSQL, a superuser can execute commands as the server user without using the ‘COPY FROM PROGRAM’.

The interactive installer in PostgreSQL before 9.3.15, 9.4.x before 9.4.10, and 9.5.x before 9.5.5 might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by leveraging use of HTTP to download software.

A vulnerability was found in libpq, the default PostgreSQL client library where libpq failed to properly reset its internal state between connections. If an affected version of libpq was used with "host" or "hostaddr" connection parameters from untrusted input, attackers could bypass client-side connection security features, obtain access to higher privileged connections or potentially cause other impact through SQL injection, by causing the PQescape() functions to malfunction. Postgresql versions before 10.5, 9.6.10, 9.5.14, 9.4.19, and 9.3.24 are affected.

postgresql before versions 10.4, 9.6.9 is vulnerable in the adminpack extension, the pg_catalog.pg_logfile_rotate() function doesn't follow the same ACLs than pg_rorate_logfile. If the adminpack is added to a database, an attacker able to connect to it could exploit this to force log rotation.

A flaw was found in the way Postgresql allowed a user to modify the behavior of a query for other users. An attacker with a user account could use this flaw to execute code with the permissions of superuser in the database. Versions 9.3 through 10 are affected.

A race condition in the postgresql init script could be used by attackers able to access the postgresql account to escalate their privileges to root.

In postgresql 9.3.x before 9.3.21, 9.4.x before 9.4.16, 9.5.x before 9.5.11, 9.6.x before 9.6.7 and 10.x before 10.2, pg_upgrade creates file in current working directory containing the output of `pg_dumpall -g` under umask which was in effect when the user invoked pg_upgrade, and not under 0077 which is normally used for other temporary files. This can allow an authenticated attacker to read or modify the one file, which may contain encrypted or unencrypted database passwords. The attack is infeasible if a directory mode blocks the attacker searching the current working directory or if the prevailing umask blocks the attacker opening the file.

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.

Invalid json_populate_recordset or jsonb_populate_recordset function calls in 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, and 9.3.x before 9.3.20 can crash the server or disclose a few bytes of server memory.

PostgreSQL versions before 9.2.22, 9.3.18, 9.4.13, 9.5.8 and 9.6.4 are vulnerable to authorization flaw allowing remote authenticated attackers to retrieve passwords from the user mappings defined by the foreign server owners without actually having the privileges to do so.