dbcve.org
AgeApplication · Apache

CVE-2022-45786

HIGH · 8.1 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-02-04
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 1.1.0 or later.
See remediation →
90/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
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
There are issues with the AGE drivers for Golang and Python that enable SQL injections to occur. This impacts AGE for PostgreSQL 11 & AGE for PostgreSQL 12, all versions up-to-and-including 1.1.0, when using those drivers. The fix is to update to the latest Golang and Python drivers in addition to the latest version of AGE that is used for PostgreSQL 11 or  PostgreSQL 12. The update of AGE will add a new function to enable parameterization of the cypher() function, which, in conjunction with the driver updates, will resolve this issue. Background (for those who want more information): After thoroughly researching this issue, we found that due to the nature of the cypher() function, it was not easy to parameterize the values passed into it. This enabled SQL injections, if the developer of the driver wasn't careful. The developer of the Golang and Pyton drivers didn't fully utilize parameterization, likely because of this, thus enabling SQL injections. The obvious fix to this issue is to use parameterization in the drivers for all PG SQL queries. However, parameterizing all PG queries is complicated by the fact that the cypher() function call itself cannot be parameterized directly, as it isn't a real function. At least, not the parameters that would take the graph name and cypher query. The reason the cypher() function cannot have those values parameterized is because the function is a placeholder and never actually runs. The cypher() function node, created by PG in the query tree, is transformed and replaced with a query tree for the actual cypher query during the analyze phase. The problem is that parameters - that would be passed in and that the cypher() function transform needs to be resolved - are only resolved in the execution phase, which is much later. Since the transform of the cypher() function needs to know the graph name and cypher query prior to execution, they can't be passed as parameters. The fix that we are testing right now, and are proposing to use, is to create a function that will be called prior to the execution of the cypher() function transform. This new function will allow values to be passed as parameters for the graph name and cypher query. As this command will be executed prior to the cypher() function transform, its values will be resolved. These values can then be cached for the immediately following cypher() function transform to use. As added features, the cached values will store the calling session's pid, for validation. And, the cypher() function transform will clear this cached information after function invocation, regardless of whether it was used. This method will allow the parameterizing of the cypher() function indirectly and provide a way to lock out SQL injection attacks.

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

SQL injection vulnerabilities exist in the AGE graph database drivers for Golang and Python when used with PostgreSQL 11 and 12 (up to version 1.1.0). The cypher() function cannot be directly parameterized because it acts as a placeholder that gets transformed during the analyze phase (before execution), meaning parameter values needed for transformation aren't available yet. The drivers failed to properly parameterize other PG SQL queries, enabling injection attacks.

MitigationUpdate to the latest Golang and Python drivers combined with the latest AGE version for PostgreSQL 11 or 12. The new AGE version includes a helper function that enables indirect parameterization of the cypher() function by pre-caching graph name and cypher query values before the cypher() transform executes.

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
AgeApplication
Affected:<= 1.1.0

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
High
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/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 checks

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

  1. Verify Apache AGE extension is installed
    Run SELECT * FROM pg_extension WHERE extname = 'age'; in PostgreSQL to check if the AGE extension exists.
    Affected if No rows returned means AGE is not installed and not affected.
  2. Check installed Apache AGE version
    Run SELECT extversion FROM pg_extension WHERE extname = 'age'; to get the installed version number.
    Affected if Version is 1.1.0 or lower (e.g., 1.0.0, 1.0.1, 1.1.0-rc1, etc.).
  3. Identify PostgreSQL server version
    Run SELECT version(); or SHOW server_version; to determine the PostgreSQL server version number.
    Affected if PostgreSQL 11.x or 12.x is in use (other versions are not affected by this specific CVE).
  4. Check driver in use
    Inspect application code or dependencies to identify if the Apache AGE driver for Golang (github.com/apache/age) or Python (apache-age) is being used.
    Affected if Using Golang or Python drivers with AGE <= 1.1.0 against PostgreSQL 11 or 12.

You are affected if you have Apache AGE version 1.1.0 or lower installed with PostgreSQL 11 or 12, and you use the Golang or Python drivers to execute cypher() queries.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 1.1.0
Interim mitigation

Update to the latest Golang and Python drivers combined with the latest AGE version for PostgreSQL 11 or 12. The new AGE version includes a helper function that enables indirect parameterization of the cypher() function by pre-caching graph name and cypher query values before the cypher() transform executes.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

AGE >= 1.2.0 (plus latest Golang and Python drivers)

  1. 1. Upgrade Apache AGE to the latest version (version 1.2.0 or later for PostgreSQL 11 or PostgreSQL 12)
  2. 2. Upgrade the Golang driver for AGE to the latest version
  3. 3. Upgrade the Python driver for AGE to the latest version
  4. 4. Verify the new parameterization function (introduced in the AGE upgrade) is available and being used by your driver
Caveat Ensure your application code is compatible with the new parameterization method for the cypher() function introduced in the AGE update

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Age Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
22.0 hours of engineering $3,860
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $6,176.

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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-2022-45786 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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