GHSA-673j-qm5f-xpv8 — postgresql
Fix: pgjdbc/pgjdbc@f6d4703GHSA-673j-qm5f-xpv8 is a remote code execution vulnerability in org.postgresql:postgresql. A fix is available for org.postgresql:postgresql — see the affected versions and patch details below.
pgjdbc Arbitrary File Write Vulnerability
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.
Real-World Exposure
org.postgresql:postgresqlReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Overview
The connection properties for configuring a pgjdbc connection are not meant to be exposed to an unauthenticated attacker. While allowing an attacker to specify arbitrary connection properties could lead to a compromise of a system, that's a defect of an application that allows unauthenticated attackers that level of control.
It's not the job of the pgjdbc driver to decide whether a given log file location is acceptable. End user applications that use the pgjdbc driver must ensure that filenames are valid and restrict unauthenticated attackers from being able to supply arbitrary values. That's not specific to the pgjdbc driver either, it would be true for any library that can write to the application's local file system.
While we do not consider this a security issue with the driver, we have decided to remove the loggerFile and loggerLevel connection properties in the next release of the driver. Removal of those properties does not make exposing the JDBC URL or connection properties to an attacker safe and we continue to suggest that applications do not allow untrusted users to specify arbitrary connection properties. We are removing them to prevent misuse and their functionality can be delegated to java.util.logging.
If you identify an application that allows remote users to specify a complete JDBC URL or properties without validating it's contents, we encourage you to notify the application owner as that may be a security defect in that specific application.
Impact
It is possible to specify an arbitrary filename in the loggerFileName connection parameter "jdbc:postgresql://localhost:5432/test?user=test&password=test&loggerLevel=DEBUG&loggerFile=./blah.jsp&<%Runtime.getRuntime().exec(request.getParameter("i"));%>"
This creates a valid JSP file which could lead to a Remote Code Execution
Patches
LoggerFile implementation has been removed and will be ignored by the driver, fixed in 42.3.3
Workarounds
sanitize the inputs to the driver
Reported by Allan Lou [email protected]
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.postgresql:postgresql | ≥ 42.1.0&&< 42.3.3 | 42.3.3org.postgresql:postgresql:42.3.3 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.postgresql:postgresql, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.postgresql:postgresql to 42.3.3 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-673j-qm5f-xpv8 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 GHSA-673j-qm5f-xpv8 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-673j-qm5f-xpv8. 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.
Red Hat informs that although there's a difference from NVD CVSSv3 score there's a especial occasion in this CVE that maintain it as a moderate. The scenario for an attacker to get a benefit in this situation requires them to have access to modify a configuration file and write a file where it's needed. This require…
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Fuse 7.11 | jdbc-postgresql | RHSA-2022:5532 |
| RHINT Service Registry 2.3.0 GA | jdbc-postgresql | RHSA-2022:6835 |
| RHPAM 7.13.1 async | jdbc-postgresql | RHSA-2022:6813 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-673j-qm5f-xpv8 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-673j-qm5f-xpv8 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.