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.

Project Subscriptions

Vendors Products
Postgresql Subscribe
Postgresql Subscribe
Enterprise Linux Subscribe
Rhel Software Collections Subscribe
Rhev Manager Subscribe
Advisories
Source ID Title
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2017-3748 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.
Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 17:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Projects

Sign in to view the affected projects.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: redhat

Published:

Updated: 2026-10-15T15:51:56.380Z

Reserved: 2017-08-01T00:00:00.000Z

Link: CVE-2017-12172

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2024-08-05T18:28:16.655Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Modified

Published: 2017-11-22T19:29:00.223

Modified: 2026-10-15T16:17:26.737

Link: CVE-2017-12172

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2017-11-09T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2017-12172 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses