High severity · published Aug 13, 2026
CVE-2026-6471
PostgreSQL logical decoding can dlopen arbitrary file
7.2
CVSS
0.5%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
Missing authorization in PostgreSQL logical decoding allows a non-superuser holding REPLICATION privilege to dlopen any file visible to the operating system account running the server, via the choice of logical decoding plugin. This in turn runs arbitrary code as that account. Versions before PostgreSQL 18.6, 17.11, 16.15, 15.19, and 14.24 are affected.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
High
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.5% · higher than 45% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
PO
PostgreSQL · PostgreSQL
18 before 18.6; 17 before 17.11; 16 before 16.15; 15 before 15.19; before 14.24 · source: vendor, NVD
In the news
VulnerabilityHigh
PostgreSQL Fixes 12-Year-Old Logical Decoding Flaw Enabling Replication-Role Code Execution
PostgreSQL has released updates to address a security flaw that allows an account with the REPLICATION attribute to run arbitrary code as the operating-system user running the database server.
The flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-6471 (CVSS score: 7.2), has been present since logical decoding was introduced in PostgreSQL 9.4 in 2014. Versions before PostgreSQL 18.6, 17.11, 16.15, 15.19, and 14.24 are
Sep 4, 2026·The Hacker News
VulnerabilityHigh
PostgreSQL Hit by 12-Year-Old Vulnerability Allowing Server Takeover
PostGREShell (CVE-2026-6471) is a 12-year-old PostgreSQL flaw that lets low-privileged attackers execute code and take over servers. Cyera researchers found a severe PostgreSQL vulnerability, dubbed PostGREShell and tracked as CVE-2026-6471 (CVSS score of 7.2). Present in releases dating back to 2014, the flaw can be exploited by attackers with low-level replication access to execute code, […]
Sep 4, 2026·Security Affairs
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-6471
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-6471
Vendor Advisory
https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-6471/
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