CVE-2026-16237
Description
A flaw was found in PostgreSQL. When handling conflict-resolving insert statements (INSERT ... ON CONFLICT) on auto-updatable views, the database fails to properly enforce view boundary restrictions. An authenticated attacker with insert and update privileges on a view can exploit this vulnerability through repeated queries to bypass filtering conditions, allowing them to read and modify unauthorized rows in the underlying base table.
Statement
This vulnerability is rated as Moderate severity rather than Important because exploitation requires an authenticated attacker who already possesses both insert and modification permissions on a targeted view, limiting the blast radius to environments where auto-updatable views are relied upon as security boundaries. In typical Red Hat Enterprise Linux deployments, PostgreSQL views are not automatically configured with partitioned row-level boundaries, and administrative access is needed to grant the necessary write rights. While security_barrier views are bypassed by this defect when conflict handling queries are repeatedly executed, attackers cannot gain broader system access or affect schemas outside their granted database privileges.
Mitigation
Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base, or stability.
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 | 5.4 | N/A | 5.4 |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | Network |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | Low |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | Low | N/A | Low |
| Integrity Impact | Low | N/A | Low |
| Availability Impact | None | N/A | None |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Access Control
Technical Impact: Bypass Protection Mechanism
Access control checks for specific user data or functionality can be bypassed.
Access Control
Technical Impact: Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
Horizontal escalation of privilege is possible (one user can view/modify information of another user).
Access Control
Technical Impact: Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
Vertical escalation of privilege is possible if the user-controlled key is actually a flag that indicates administrator status, allowing the attacker to gain administrative access.
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