CVE-2026-116243: pgAdmin 4: Utility binary path can point at a shared storage directory

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2026-116243 is a high (CVSS 7.7) Untrusted Search Path vulnerability in pgadmin.org pgadmin 4. EPSS estimates a 0.32% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 25.2% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 30-10-2026
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.

Description

pgAdmin 4 runs pg_dump, pg_restore, pg_dumpall and psql from the binary path a user sets in their preferences. In server mode the binary path was refused only when it lay under the per-user storage directory (STORAGE_DIR), not under a SHARED_STORAGE directory, which ordinary users can upload files to. A user could therefore upload an executable to shared storage, point their binary path at it, and have pgAdmin run it as the operating-system account running pgAdmin. On POSIX, files created through pgAdmin are not executable, so this is exploitable where any file with an executable name can run, such as Windows server mode. The fix checks the binary path against every SHARED_STORAGE directory as well, after expanding $DIR, collapsing ".." and resolving symbolic links, compares directories in a way a different spelling on a case-insensitive filesystem cannot bypass, refuses a path containing a NUL, and enforces the check wherever binary paths are resolved, including for the PSQL tool. This issue affects pgAdmin 4: before 9.19.

• CWE-426Untrusted Search PathThe product searches for critical resources using an externally-supplied search path that can point to resources that are not under the product's direct control.
• CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path ElementThe product uses a fixed or controlled search path to find resources, but one or more locations in that path can be under the control of unintended actors.