Operating-system account hijack via followed backup symlinks
Published May 14, 2026 · Updated May 14, 2026
Symlink following in PostgreSQL before 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 allows remote attackers to overwrite local files. In plain-format pg_basebackup output and files copied by pg_rewind, the client utilities follow source-controlled symbolic links and write outside the intended target directory. Exploitation requires a superuser-controlled origin and operator action between copying and server start, such as moving or snapshotting the files; the overwrite can hijack the local operating-system account.
Summary
What happened
Symlink following in PostgreSQL before 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 allows remote attackers to overwrite local files. In plain-format pg_basebackup output and files copied by pg_rewind, the client utilities follow source-controlled symbolic links and write outside the intended target directory. Exploitation requires a superuser-controlled origin and operator action between copying and server start, such as moving or snapshotting the files; the overwrite can hijack the local operating-system account.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-6475
- Published
- May 14, 2026
- Updated
- May 14, 2026
- Vendor
- PostgreSQL Global Development Group
- Product
- PostgreSQL
- Classifications
- CWE-61, T1068
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 14, 2026Record 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=0 <14.23
- Affected versionversion=15 <15.18
- Affected versionversion=16 <16.14
- Affected versionversion=17 <17.10
- Affected versionversion=18 <18.4
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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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