CVE-2020-1720Network attack vector

Database object deletion via unchecked extension dependencies

Published Mar 17, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Improper authorization in PostgreSQL 9.6 through 12 allows remote authenticated users to arrange deletion of database objects. ALTER ... DEPENDS ON EXTENSION records extension dependencies for functions, procedures, materialized views, indexes, and triggers without verifying that the caller owns the object. Exploitation requires CREATE access plus an installed extension and succeeds when that extension is later dropped, causing the marked objects to be deleted.

CVSS severity3.1
Low
EPSS probability1.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper authorization in PostgreSQL 9.6 through 12 allows remote authenticated users to arrange deletion of database objects. ALTER ... DEPENDS ON EXTENSION records extension dependencies for functions, procedures, materialized views, indexes, and triggers without verifying that the caller owns the object. Exploitation requires CREATE access plus an installed extension and succeeds when that extension is later dropped, causing the marked objects to be deleted.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-1720
Published
Mar 17, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Red Hat
Product
PostgreSQL
Classifications
CWE-285, CWE-862, T1485
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 17, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=10.12
  2. Affected versionversion=11.7
  3. Affected versionversion=12.2
  4. Affected versionversion=9.6.17

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Red Hat · PostgreSQLversion=10.12; version=11.7; version=12.2; version=9.6.17

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
3.1Red Hat, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
3.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-285Improper Authorization
CWE-862Missing Authorization
T1485Data Destruction

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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