CVE-2026-6460
Description
A flaw was found in PostgreSQL. Inadequate tracking of typed values allows an authenticated user with permissions to create or alter database objects to trigger a type confusion vulnerability by executing specific data definition commands, such as altering column data types. A threat actor can exploit this issue to execute arbitrary code on the host system with the permissions of the operating system user running the database service.
Statement
This vulnerability is rated as Important because an authenticated user with object-creation privileges can execute arbitrary code under the operating system account running the PostgreSQL service. Although this allows full compromise of the database daemon host environment, exploitation requires prior authentication to the database and permissions to execute data definition statements, which precludes unauthenticated remote attacks. In standard Red Hat deployments, database instances should be configured so that untrusted users are not granted table creation or administrative schema alteration privileges.
Mitigation
Limit exposure to the PostgreSQL service by restricting network connectivity to trusted administrative hosts and revoking object-creation privileges from untrusted database accounts.
1. Restrict network reachability to trusted IP addresses using firewalld:
firewall-cmd --permanent --remove-service=postgresql
firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=trusted --add-source=<trusted_ip_or_network>
firewall-cmd --reload
2. Revoke table creation privileges from untrusted database accounts within PostgreSQL:
REVOKE CREATE ON SCHEMA public FROM PUBLIC;
Caveats: Restricting network access prevents unapproved remote hosts from connecting to the database server. Revoking schema creation privileges may disrupt applications that require dynamic creation of temporary or permanent tables until explicit schema permissions are assigned.
Warning: Reloading the firewall configuration using `firewall-cmd --reload` alters active packet filtering rules immediately and may disrupt existing network sessions.
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 | Low | N/A | Low |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| 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:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Other
Technical Impact: Varies by Context
When the product accesses the resource using an incompatible type, this could trigger logical errors because the resource does not have expected properties.
Availability,Integrity,Confidentiality
Technical Impact: Read Memory; Modify Memory; Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
If a memory buffer is accessed using an incompatible type, and the allocated buffer is smaller than the type that the code is attempting to access, then an attacker could read or write memory outside the bounds of the buffer, leading to a crash or possibly code execution.
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