8.8

CVE-2026-6475: postgresql UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following

CVSS: 8.8v3.1HighAnalyzed
AliasesALPINE-CVE-2026-6475UBUNTU-CVE-2026-6475DEBIAN-CVE-2026-6475
Published 14-05-2026Last modified 15-05-2026
Open JSON

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2026-6475 is a high (CVSS 8.8) UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following vulnerability in postgresql. EPSS estimates a 0.32% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 23.9% of scored vulnerabilities.

Overall risk
35/100
0100
Medium · default modelHow is this calculated?
CVSS score
8.8/10
010
High · v3.1 (CVE.org)
EPSS score
0.32%
0%100%
Low · 0.00 pp in 30 days
KEVNot listedIn no KEV catalog
RansomwareNone recordedNo known use recorded
Public exploits0No public exploits recorded

Advisory lineage

Upstream 0 · Downstream 46 · Related 15
MGASA-2026-0151OPENSUSE-SU-2026:10806-1OPENSUSE-SU-2026:10807-1OPENSUSE-SU-2026:10808-1OPENSUSE-SU-2026:10809-1OPENSUSE-SU-2026:10828-1

Timeline

  1. 14-05-2026
    PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
  2. 15-05-2026
    Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

Symlink following in PostgreSQL pg_basebackup plain format and in pg_rewind allows an origin superuser to overwrite local files, e.g. /var/lib/postgres/.bashrc, that hijack the operating system account. It will remain the case that starting the server after these commands implicitly trusts the origin superuser, due to features like shared_preload_libraries. Hence, the attack has practical implications only if one takes relevant action between these commands and server start, like moving the files to a different VM or snapshotting the VM. Versions before PostgreSQL 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 are affected.

CVSS metrics

5 scores · 5 sources · 1 version

EPSS trend

Probability

0.32%

Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days

Percentile

24%

Versus all other CVEs

30-day change

0.00 pp

From 0.32% on 19-09-2026

19-09-202619-10-2026
EPSS score
0.32%

Known exploited

Compare KEV catalogs

Not in any of the 3 tracked catalogs.

Public exploits

0 found

No public exploits indexed.

Weaknesses

CWE · root cause

Affected systems

Ubuntu8 products
  • postgresql-10All versions (No fix recorded)
  • postgresql-12All versions (No fix recorded)
  • postgresql-14< 14.23-0ubuntu0.22.04.1
  • postgresql-16< 16.14-0ubuntu0.24.04.1
  • postgresql-17< 17.10-0ubuntu0.25.10.1
Alpine4 products
  • postgresql15< 15.18-r0
  • postgresql16< 16.14-r0
  • postgresql17< 17.10-r0
  • postgresql18< 18.4-r0
Debian3 products
  • postgresql-15< 15.18-0+deb12u1
  • postgresql-17< 17.10-0+deb13u1
  • postgresql-18< 18.4-1
Postgresql1 product
  • postgresql< 14.23 | ≥ 15.0, < 15.18 | ≥ 16.0, < 16.14 | ≥ 17.0, < 17.10 | ≥ 18.0, < 18.4

4 vendors · 16 products

References

8 links