Client memory disclosure via unterminated Kerberos string
Published Mar 3, 2023 · Updated Mar 7, 2025
Information disclosure in PostgreSQL libpq allows remote attackers to expose client memory through a modified unauthenticated server. During Kerberos transport setup, libpq accepts an unterminated server string, reads past its receive buffer, and includes uninitialized trailing bytes in PQerrorMessage. Reachability requires a Kerberos credential cache, gssencmode not explicitly disabled, and a caller that exposes the generated error message.
Summary
What happened
Information disclosure in PostgreSQL libpq allows remote attackers to expose client memory through a modified unauthenticated server. During Kerberos transport setup, libpq accepts an unterminated server string, reads past its receive buffer, and includes uninitialized trailing bytes in PQerrorMessage. Reachability requires a Kerberos credential cache, gssencmode not explicitly disabled, and a caller that exposes the generated error message.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-41862
- Published
- Mar 3, 2023
- Updated
- Mar 7, 2025
- Vendor
- PostgreSQL Global Development Group
- Product
- PostgreSQL
- Classifications
- CWE-200, T1005
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 3, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Mar 7, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=postgresql 5.2, postgresql 14.7, postgresql 13.10, postgresql 12.14, postgresql 11.19
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
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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