dbcve.org
PostgreSQLDatabase / datastore

CVE-2002-1400

HIGH · 7.5 CVSS v2.0 Published 2003-01-17
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
84/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Heap-based buffer overflow in the repeat() function for PostgreSQL before 7.2.2 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by causing repeat() to generate a large string.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Heap-based buffer overflow in PostgreSQL's repeat() string function (versions prior to 7.2.2) allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by supplying excessively large repetition parameters that overflow the heap allocation.

MitigationUpgrade PostgreSQL to version 7.2.2 or later. If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict network access to the database and monitor for abnormal repeat() function usage patterns.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
PostgreSQLDatabase / datastore
Affected:= 6.3.2= 6.5.3= 7.0.3= 7.1= 7.1.1= 7.1.2= 7.1.3= 7.2= 7.2.1

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Partial
Integrity
Partial
Availability
Partial

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify PostgreSQL version
    Run 'psql --version' or 'SELECT version();' to obtain the installed PostgreSQL version number
    Affected if The version shown is any of 6.3.2, 6.5.3, 7.0.3, 7.1, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 7.1.3, 7.2, or 7.2.1 (any version prior to 7.2.2)
  2. Confirm repeat() function is accessible
    Connect to the database and run 'SELECT repeat('a',10);' to verify the repeat() string function exists and executes
    Affected if The function executes successfully, confirming it is available in the installation
  3. Check network exposure of PostgreSQL
    Review PostgreSQL configuration files (postgresql.conf) for 'listen_addresses' and 'port' settings, or use netstat to determine if the database is bound to network interfaces
    Affected if PostgreSQL is listening on a network-addressable interface (0.0.0.0 or specific IP) rather than localhost only

You are affected if your PostgreSQL version is 7.2.1 or earlier (including 6.x and 7.0.x/7.1.x versions), the repeat() function is available, and the database is network-accessible.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

From vendor data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Upgrade PostgreSQL to version 7.2.2 or later. If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict network access to the database and monitor for abnormal repeat() function usage patterns.

Fix this in PostgreSQL Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
19.0 hours of engineering $3,320
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Scan for this in your stack

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2002-1400 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data