CVE-2024-27289 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.1) SQL Injection vulnerability in github.com/jackc/pgx. A fix is available for github.com/jackc/pgx — see the affected versions and patch details below.
pgx SQL Injection via Line Comment Creation
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2024-27289.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2024-27289 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 378,567 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
github.com/jackc/pgx🐹github.com/jackc/pgx/v4Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Go packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Impact
SQL injection can occur when all of the following conditions are met:
- The non-default simple protocol is used.
- A placeholder for a numeric value must be immediately preceded by a minus.
- There must be a second placeholder for a string value after the first placeholder; both must be on the same line.
- Both parameter values must be user-controlled.
e.g.
Simple mode must be enabled:
// connection string includes "prefer_simple_protocol=true"
// or
// directly enabled in code
config.ConnConfig.PreferSimpleProtocol = true
Parameterized query:
SELECT * FROM example WHERE result=-$1 OR name=$2;
Parameter values:
$1 => -42
$2 => "foo\n 1 AND 1=0 UNION SELECT * FROM secrets; --"
Resulting query after preparation:
SELECT * FROM example WHERE result=--42 OR name= 'foo
1 AND 1=0 UNION SELECT * FROM secrets; --';
Patches
The problem is resolved in v4.18.2.
Workarounds
Do not use the simple protocol or do not place a minus directly before a placeholder.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐹Go | github.com/jackc/pgx | all versions | 4.18.2go get github.com/jackc/pgx@v4.18.2 |
| 🐹Go | github.com/jackc/pgx/v4 | all versions | 4.18.2go get github.com/jackc/pgx/v4@v4.18.2 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for github.com/jackc/pgx, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update github.com/jackc/pgx to 4.18.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2024-27289 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2024-27289 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2024-27289. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security 4.3 | advanced-cluster-security/rhacs-central-db-rhel8:4.3.5-3 | RHSA-2024:1321 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.16 | openshift4/ose-agent-installer-csr-approver-rhel9:v4.16.0-202410031007.p0.g342902b.assembly.stream.el9 | RHSA-2024:7944 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.17 | openshift4/ose-agent-installer-csr-approver-rhel9:v4.17.0-202410031034.p0.gfbc55c6.assembly.stream.el9 | RHSA-2024:7922 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2024-27289 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2024-27289 across Go dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.