dbcve.org
PostgreSQLDatabase / datastore

CVE-2023-2454

HIGH · 7.2 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-06-09
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 11.20 / 12.15 or later.
See remediation →
78/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable 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
schema_element defeats protective search_path changes; It was found that certain database calls in PostgreSQL could permit an authed attacker with elevated database-level privileges to execute arbitrary code.

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 · moderate confidence

PostgreSQL vulnerability where the schema_element function defeats protective search_path changes, allowing an authenticated attacker with elevated database-level privileges to execute arbitrary code on the host system.

MitigationUpdate PostgreSQL to the latest patched version and review database user privileges, ensuring that elevated privileges are restricted and search_path is properly configured with defensive settings.

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:>= 11.0, < 11.20>= 12.0, < 12.15>= 13.0, < 13.11>= 14.0, < 14.8>= 15.0, < 15.3
Software CollectionsApplication
Affected:all versions
Enterprise LinuxOperating system
Affected:= 8.0= 9.0
FedoraOperating system
Affected:= 38

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

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/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. Identify installed PostgreSQL version
    Run `psql --version` or connect to the database and execute `SELECT version();` to get the exact version number
    Affected if The installed version falls within any of these ranges: 11.0-11.19, 12.0-12.14, 13.0-13.10, 14.0-14.7, or 15.0-15.2
  2. Check current user privileges
    Connect to the database as the target user and execute `SELECT rolname, rolsuper, rolinherit, rolcanlogin, rolcreaterole, rolcreatedb, rolreplication FROM pg_roles WHERE rolname = current_user;` or `\du` in psql
    Affected if The current user has superuser, pg_execute_server_program, or similar elevated privileges that allow executing external commands
  3. Verify schema_element function accessibility
    Connect to any database and execute `SELECT proname FROM pg_proc WHERE proname = 'schema_element';` to confirm the function exists
    Affected if The function is present and available to the authenticated user
  4. Inspect search_path configuration
    Connect to the database and execute `SHOW search_path;` to view the current search path setting
    Affected if search_path contains '$user' or public schemas without explicit qualification, or is set to a vulnerable configuration that allows schema hijacking

A user is affected if they run a vulnerable PostgreSQL version (11.x before 11.20, 12.x before 12.15, 13.x before 13.11, 14.x before 14.8, or 15.x before 15.3) AND have an authenticated session with elevated database privileges that could leverage the schema_element function to bypass search_path protections.

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 11.20 / 12.15 / 13.11 or later
Fixed in 11.2012.1513.11
Interim mitigation

Update PostgreSQL to the latest patched version and review database user privileges, ensuring that elevated privileges are restricted and search_path is properly configured with defensive settings.

Recommended fix High confidence

PostgreSQL 11.20, 12.15, 13.11, or 14.8 (upgrade to the next minor version past your current major)

  1. 1. Backup your PostgreSQL database completely before upgrading
  2. 2. Stop the PostgreSQL service to prevent data corruption during upgrade
  3. 3. Upgrade PostgreSQL to the fixed version: 11.20, 12.15, 13.11, or 14.8 (depending on your current major version)
  4. 4. After upgrade, verify that search_path settings are correctly configured to prevent the schema_element bypass
  5. 5. Start the PostgreSQL service
  6. 6. Test that the search_path protective measures work as expected
  7. 7. Verify application functionality against the upgraded database
Caveat Minor version upgrades typically have low risk but review release notes for any deprecated features; test in staging first

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

Fix this in PostgreSQL Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation6.0 h
  • Implementation12.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
28.0 hours of engineering $4,980
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $7,968.

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-2023-2454 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