CVE-2025-46801Network attack vector

Arbitrary-user database access via skipped client authentication

Published May 19, 2025 · Updated Nov 3, 2025

Authentication bypass in the client authentication mechanism of Pgpool-II allows remote attackers to access PostgreSQL as arbitrary users. The authentication path reuses cached backend connections without requiring a valid password in affected configurations, accepting any password or sometimes requesting none. Exposure requires one of three documented authentication configurations and grants database read, write, or shutdown access.

CVSS severity9.3
Critical
EPSS probability0.91%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authentication bypass in the client authentication mechanism of Pgpool-II allows remote attackers to access PostgreSQL as arbitrary users. The authentication path reuses cached backend connections without requiring a valid password in affected configurations, accepting any password or sometimes requesting none. Exposure requires one of three documented authentication configurations and grants database read, write, or shutdown access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-46801
Published
May 19, 2025
Updated
Nov 3, 2025
Vendor
Pgpool Global Development Group
Product
Pgpool-II
Classifications
CWE-305, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 19, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 3, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.2.0 to 4.2.21
  2. Affected versionversion=4.3.0 to 4.3.14
  3. Affected versionversion=4.4.0 to 4.4.11
  4. Affected versionversion=4.5.0 to 4.5.6
  5. Affected versionversion=4.6.0
  6. Affected versionversion=All versions of 4.0 series
  7. Affected versionversion=All versions of 4.1 series

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Pgpool Global Development Group · Pgpool-IIversion=4.2.0 to 4.2.21; version=4.3.0 to 4.3.14; version=4.4.0 to 4.4.11; version=4.5.0 to 4.5.6; version=4.6.0; version=All versions of 4.0 series; version=All versions of 4.1 series

Published CVSS scores

9.8JPCERT/CCCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.3JPCERT/CCCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA: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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-305Authentication Bypass by Primary Weakness
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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