CVE-2020-25696: High severity ibm analytics content hub vulnerability
A flaw was found in the psql interactive terminal of PostgreSQL in versions before 13.1, before 12.5, before 11.10, before 10.15, before 9.6.20 and before 9.5.24. If an interactive psql session uses \gset when querying a compromised server, the attacker can execute arbitrary code as the operating system account running psql. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to data confidentiality and integrity as well as system availability.
Other sources
A flaw was found in the psql interactive terminal of PostgreSQL. If an interactive psql session uses \gset when querying a compromised server, this flaw allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code as the operating system account running psql. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to confidentiality, integrity, as well as system availability.
PostgreSQL could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the system, caused by a flaw in the psql interactive terminal. If an interactive psql session uses \gset when querying a compromised server, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on the system.
— IBM
The \gset meta-command, which sets psql variables based on query results, does not distinguish variables that control psql behavior. If an interactive psql session uses \gset when querying a compromised server, the attacker can execute arbitrary code as the operating system account running psql. Using \gset with a prefix not found among specially treated variables, e.g. any lowercase string, precludes the attack in an unpatched psql.
— Red Hat
Affected Software
Remediation
Patch Available
Information
Event History
Parent advisories
This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2020-25696?
CVE-2020-25696 is a vulnerability in the psql interactive terminal of PostgreSQL that allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code as the operating system user.
Which versions of PostgreSQL are affected by CVE-2020-25696?
CVE-2020-25696 affects versions before 13.1, before 12.5, before 11.10, before 10.15, before 9.6.20, and before 9.5.24 of PostgreSQL.
How severe is CVE-2020-25696?
CVE-2020-25696 has a severity rating of 7.5, which is considered high.
How can I fix CVE-2020-25696?
To fix CVE-2020-25696, upgrade to version 13.1 or later if you are using PostgreSQL 13, version 12.5 or later if you are using PostgreSQL 12, version 11.10 or later if you are using PostgreSQL 11, version 10.15 or later if you are using PostgreSQL 10, version 9.6.20 or later if you are using PostgreSQL 9.6, or version 9.5.24 or later if you are using PostgreSQL 9.5.
Where can I find more information about CVE-2020-25696?
You can find more information about CVE-2020-25696 on the Red Hat Bugzilla website. [Link 1](https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi/show_bug.cgi?id=1897233) [Link 2](https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi/show_bug.cgi?id=1897230) [Link 3](https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi/show_bug.cgi?id=1897227)