Denied-column disclosure via incomplete join privilege tracking
Published Feb 23, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024
Incorrect authorization in PostgreSQL 13 before 13.2 allows remote authenticated users to read denied table columns through a crafted join query. The parser omits some columns read by certain joins from the usage bitmaps checked for per-column SELECT permission, while the executor accepts any SELECT grant. Exploitation requires a valid database role with SELECT access to one column; successful queries disclose other columns but do not modify data.
Summary
What happened
Incorrect authorization in PostgreSQL 13 before 13.2 allows remote authenticated users to read denied table columns through a crafted join query. The parser omits some columns read by certain joins from the usage bitmaps checked for per-column SELECT permission, while the executor accepts any SELECT grant. Exploitation requires a valid database role with SELECT access to one column; successful queries disclose other columns but do not modify data.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-20229
- Published
- Feb 23, 2021
- Updated
- Aug 3, 2024
- Vendor
- PostgreSQL Global Development Group
- Product
- PostgreSQL
- Classifications
- CWE-863, T1213
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 23, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 3, 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.
- Affected versionversion=postgresql 13.2, postgresql 12.6, postgresql 11.11, postgresql 10.16, postgresql 9.6.21, postgresql 9.5.25
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
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
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo