Unauthenticated code execution via PostgreSQL sidecar restore
Published Jun 10, 2026 · Updated Jun 10, 2026
Missing authentication in Splunk Enterprise 10.0.0 through 10.0.6 and 10.2.0 through 10.2.3 allows remote attackers to execute code. The unauthenticated PostgreSQL sidecar backup and restore handlers pass attacker-controlled database and file parameters to pg_dump and pg_restore, enabling crafted dumps to overwrite files as the splunk user. The sidecar must be enabled and reachable through Splunk Web; Splunk Cloud Platform is not affected because it does not use PostgreSQL sidecars.
Summary
What happened
Missing authentication in Splunk Enterprise 10.0.0 through 10.0.6 and 10.2.0 through 10.2.3 allows remote attackers to execute code. The unauthenticated PostgreSQL sidecar backup and restore handlers pass attacker-controlled database and file parameters to pg_dump and pg_restore, enabling crafted dumps to overwrite files as the splunk user. The sidecar must be enabled and reachable through Splunk Web; Splunk Cloud Platform is not affected because it does not use PostgreSQL sidecars.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-20253
- Published
- Jun 10, 2026
- Updated
- Jun 10, 2026
- Vendor
- Zoom Video Communications, Inc.
- Product
- Splunk Enterprise
- Classifications
- CWE-306, T1190
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 10, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 10, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
- Jun 18, 2026Exploitation reportedCISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog entry
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=10.0 <10.0.7
- Affected versionversion=10.2 <10.2.4
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.
View daily counts
| Reporting day | Unique IPs |
|---|---|
| Sep 10, 2026 | 3 |
| Sep 11, 2026 | Unavailable |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Unavailable |
| Sep 13, 2026 | 7 |
| Sep 14, 2026 | 3 |
| Sep 15, 2026 | 3 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | 1 |
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- watchTowr PostgreSQL sidecar pre-auth RCE reproductionfunctional · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Reported exploitation
- Splunk PSIRT limited exploitation reportreported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog entryknown exploited catalog
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
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