Postgresql Jdbc DriverDatabase / datastore · PostgreSQL
CVE-2018-10936
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 · uneditedA weakness was found in postgresql-jdbc before version 42.2.5. It was possible to provide an SSL Factory and not check the host name if a host name verifier was not provided to the driver. This could lead to a condition where a man-in-the-middle attacker could masquerade as a trusted server by providing a certificate for the wrong host, as long as it was signed by a trusted CA.
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 confidenceIn postgresql-jdbc versions before 42.2.5, when using a custom SSL Factory without configuring a host name verifier, the driver fails to validate that the server's SSL certificate matches the intended hostname. This allows a man-in-the-middle attacker with a certificate signed by a trusted CA to impersonate any target server.
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
Postgresql Jdbc DriverDatabase / datastore
< 42.2.5
Enterprise LinuxOperating system
= 6.0= 7.0CVSS 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
- High
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify postgresql-jdbc versionLocate the postgresql-jdbc JAR file in your application dependencies (check build files like pom.xml, build.gradle, or the JAR file name directly) and note the version numberAffected if The version is lower than 42.2.5 (e.g., 42.2.4, 42.2.3, earlier versions)
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Determine if a custom SSL Factory is in useReview your PostgreSQL JDBC connection configuration or code for the 'sslfactory' property. If set to a custom class (not the default), a custom SSL Factory is being usedAffected if The sslfactory property is set to a custom SSLFactory class rather than using the default driver behavior
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Check for hostname verification configurationReview your connection properties for 'sslhostnameverification' or 'sslfactory.arg' settings, or examine the custom SSLFactory implementation to see if HostnameVerifier is properly configuredAffected if No hostname verifier is explicitly configured or the custom SSLFactory does not validate hostnames against the server certificate
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Verify SSL is enabled in the connectionConfirm the connection uses SSL by checking for 'ssl=true' or 'sslmode=require' in your JDBC connection string or propertiesAffected if SSL is enabled and you meet conditions from steps 1-3 (vulnerable version + custom SSL factory without hostname verification)
You are affected if you use postgresql-jdbc version below 42.2.5 with a custom SSL Factory that lacks proper hostname verification configured.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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 data42.2.5
Upgrade postgresql-jdbc to version 42.2.5 or later, and ensure a host name verifier is properly configured when using custom SSL factories.
Fix this in Postgresql Jdbc Driver
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,936.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2018-10936 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2018-10936 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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