CVE-2026-120145
Description
A flaw was found in PostgreSQL. Missing authorization checks in logical replication allow a compromised publisher to execute arbitrary code as the operating system user running the database service. An attacker controlling a publishing database can exploit this vulnerability by designating an internal system catalog table as a replication target for a superuser-owned subscription.
Statement
Red Hat rates this vulnerability as Important because an attacker controlling an upstream publisher can achieve arbitrary remote code execution under the postgres operating system user account on the subscriber host. In default Red Hat Enterprise Linux installations, PostgreSQL does not establish logical replication subscriptions out of the box, significantly limiting ambient exposure. The security risk is restricted to specific environments where an administrator has configured a superuser-owned subscription that pulls changes from an untrusted or compromised external database instance.
Mitigation
Disable logical replication subscriptions connected to untrusted publisher databases, or reassign subscription ownership to an unprivileged database role.
1. Disable an untrusted subscription directly from the PostgreSQL prompt:
ALTER SUBSCRIPTION <subscription_name> DISABLE;
2. Alternatively, transfer the subscription ownership away from a superuser:
ALTER SUBSCRIPTION <subscription_name> OWNER TO <non_superuser_role>;
3. Restrict outgoing network connections to unverified publisher hosts at the network or firewall level.
Caveats: Disabling subscriptions halts data synchronization between publisher and subscriber tables until manually re-enabled. Non-superuser roles must have adequate table privileges to apply replicated data.
Warning: Modifying subscriptions or applying firewall changes interrupts active replication sessions but does not require a PostgreSQL service restart.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 8.8 | N/A | 8.8 |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | Network |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | None | N/A | None |
| User Interaction | Required | N/A | Required |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Confidentiality,Integrity,Availability,Access Control
Technical Impact: Gain Privileges or Assume Identity; Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Read Application Data; DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
An attacker will be able to gain access to any resources that are allowed by the extra privileges. Common results include executing code, disabling services, and reading restricted data. New weaknesses can be exposed because running with extra privileges, such as root or Administrator, can disable the normal security checks being performed by the operating system or surrounding environment. Other pre-existing weaknesses can turn into security vulnerabilities if they occur while operating at raised privileges.
Frequently Asked Questions
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