CVE-2024-10979 (GCVE-0-2024-10979)
Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2024-11-14 13:00 – Updated: 2025-11-03 21:51
VLAI
EPSS
VEX
Title
PostgreSQL PL/Perl environment variable changes execute arbitrary code
Summary
Incorrect control of environment variables in PostgreSQL PL/Perl allows an unprivileged database user to change sensitive process environment variables (e.g. PATH). That often suffices to enable arbitrary code execution, even if the attacker lacks a database server operating system user. Versions before PostgreSQL 17.1, 16.5, 15.9, 14.14, 13.17, and 12.21 are affected.
Severity
8.8 (High)
SSVC
Exploitation: none
Automatable: no
Technical Impact: total
CISA Coordinator · CISA-ADP (v2.0.3)
Decision recorded 2024-11-20 00:00 UTC
CWE
- CWE-15 - External Control of System or Configuration Setting
Assigner
References
Impacted products
2 products
| Vendor | Product | Version | |
|---|---|---|---|
| n/a | PostgreSQL |
Affected:
17 , < 17.1
(rpm)
Affected: 16 , < 16.5 (rpm) Affected: 15 , < 15.9 (rpm) Affected: 14 , < 14.14 (rpm) Affected: 13 , < 13.17 (rpm) Affected: 0 , < 12.21 (rpm) |
|
| postgresql | postgresql |
Affected:
0 , < 12.21
(rpm)
Affected: 13 , < 13.17 (rpm) Affected: 14 , < 14.14 (rpm) Affected: 15 , < 15.9 (rpm) Affected: 16 , < 16.5 (rpm) Affected: 17 , < 17.1 (rpm) cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
{
"containers": {
"adp": [
{
"affected": [
{
"cpes": [
"cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*"
],
"defaultStatus": "unknown",
"product": "postgresql",
"vendor": "postgresql",
"versions": [
{
"lessThan": "12.21",
"status": "affected",
"version": "0",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "13.17",
"status": "affected",
"version": "13",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "14.14",
"status": "affected",
"version": "14",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "15.9",
"status": "affected",
"version": "15",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "16.5",
"status": "affected",
"version": "16",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "17.1",
"status": "affected",
"version": "17",
"versionType": "rpm"
}
]
}
],
"metrics": [
{
"other": {
"content": {
"id": "CVE-2024-10979",
"options": [
{
"Exploitation": "none"
},
{
"Automatable": "no"
},
{
"Technical Impact": "total"
}
],
"role": "CISA Coordinator",
"timestamp": "2024-11-20T00:00:00+00:00",
"version": "2.0.3"
},
"type": "ssvc"
}
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2024-11-21T04:55:16.916Z",
"orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
"shortName": "CISA-ADP"
},
"title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
},
{
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2025-11-03T21:51:41.330Z",
"orgId": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
"shortName": "CVE"
},
"references": [
{
"url": "https://github.com/fmora50591/postgresql-env-vuln/blob/main/README.md"
},
{
"url": "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20250110-0003/"
},
{
"url": "https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/11/msg00011.html"
}
],
"title": "CVE Program Container"
}
],
"cna": {
"affected": [
{
"defaultStatus": "unaffected",
"product": "PostgreSQL",
"vendor": "n/a",
"versions": [
{
"lessThan": "17.1",
"status": "affected",
"version": "17",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "16.5",
"status": "affected",
"version": "16",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "15.9",
"status": "affected",
"version": "15",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "14.14",
"status": "affected",
"version": "14",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "13.17",
"status": "affected",
"version": "13",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "12.21",
"status": "affected",
"version": "0",
"versionType": "rpm"
}
]
}
],
"configurations": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "administrator has installed PL/Perl"
},
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "attacker has permission to create objects (temporary objects or non-temporary objects in at least one schema)"
}
],
"credits": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "The PostgreSQL project thanks Coby Abrams for reporting this problem."
}
],
"descriptions": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "Incorrect control of environment variables in PostgreSQL PL/Perl allows an unprivileged database user to change sensitive process environment variables (e.g. PATH). That often suffices to enable arbitrary code execution, even if the attacker lacks a database server operating system user. Versions before PostgreSQL 17.1, 16.5, 15.9, 14.14, 13.17, and 12.21 are affected."
}
],
"metrics": [
{
"cvssV3_1": {
"baseScore": 8.8,
"baseSeverity": "HIGH",
"vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"version": "3.1"
},
"format": "CVSS"
}
],
"problemTypes": [
{
"descriptions": [
{
"cweId": "CWE-15",
"description": "External Control of System or Configuration Setting",
"lang": "en",
"type": "CWE"
}
]
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2024-11-14T13:00:08.586Z",
"orgId": "f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007",
"shortName": "PostgreSQL"
},
"references": [
{
"url": "https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2024-10979/"
}
],
"title": "PostgreSQL PL/Perl environment variable changes execute arbitrary code"
}
},
"cveMetadata": {
"assignerOrgId": "f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007",
"assignerShortName": "PostgreSQL",
"cveId": "CVE-2024-10979",
"datePublished": "2024-11-14T13:00:08.586Z",
"dateReserved": "2024-11-07T19:27:04.476Z",
"dateUpdated": "2025-11-03T21:51:41.330Z",
"state": "PUBLISHED"
},
"dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
"dataVersion": "5.2",
"vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
"epss": {
"cve": "CVE-2024-10979",
"date": "2026-10-03",
"epss": "0.04393",
"percentile": "0.91018"
},
"vulnrichment": {
"containers": {
"adp": [
{
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2025-11-03T21:51:41.330Z",
"orgId": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
"shortName": "CVE"
},
"references": [
{
"url": "https://github.com/fmora50591/postgresql-env-vuln/blob/main/README.md"
},
{
"url": "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20250110-0003/"
},
{
"url": "https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/11/msg00011.html"
}
],
"title": "CVE Program Container"
},
{
"affected": [
{
"cpes": [
"cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*"
],
"defaultStatus": "unknown",
"product": "postgresql",
"vendor": "postgresql",
"versions": [
{
"lessThan": "12.21",
"status": "affected",
"version": "0",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "13.17",
"status": "affected",
"version": "13",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "14.14",
"status": "affected",
"version": "14",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "15.9",
"status": "affected",
"version": "15",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "16.5",
"status": "affected",
"version": "16",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "17.1",
"status": "affected",
"version": "17",
"versionType": "rpm"
}
]
}
],
"metrics": [
{
"other": {
"content": {
"id": "CVE-2024-10979",
"options": [
{
"Exploitation": "none"
},
{
"Automatable": "no"
},
{
"Technical Impact": "total"
}
],
"role": "CISA Coordinator",
"timestamp": "2024-11-14T14:32:36.606857Z",
"version": "2.0.3"
},
"type": "ssvc"
}
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2024-11-14T14:36:25.467Z",
"orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
"shortName": "CISA-ADP"
},
"title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
}
],
"cna": {
"affected": [
{
"defaultStatus": "unaffected",
"product": "PostgreSQL",
"vendor": "n/a",
"versions": [
{
"lessThan": "17.1",
"status": "affected",
"version": "17",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "16.5",
"status": "affected",
"version": "16",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "15.9",
"status": "affected",
"version": "15",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "14.14",
"status": "affected",
"version": "14",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "13.17",
"status": "affected",
"version": "13",
"versionType": "rpm"
},
{
"lessThan": "12.21",
"status": "affected",
"version": "0",
"versionType": "rpm"
}
]
}
],
"configurations": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "administrator has installed PL/Perl"
},
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "attacker has permission to create objects (temporary objects or non-temporary objects in at least one schema)"
}
],
"credits": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "The PostgreSQL project thanks Coby Abrams for reporting this problem."
}
],
"descriptions": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "Incorrect control of environment variables in PostgreSQL PL/Perl allows an unprivileged database user to change sensitive process environment variables (e.g. PATH). That often suffices to enable arbitrary code execution, even if the attacker lacks a database server operating system user. Versions before PostgreSQL 17.1, 16.5, 15.9, 14.14, 13.17, and 12.21 are affected."
}
],
"metrics": [
{
"cvssV3_1": {
"baseScore": 8.8,
"baseSeverity": "HIGH",
"vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"version": "3.1"
},
"format": "CVSS"
}
],
"problemTypes": [
{
"descriptions": [
{
"cweId": "CWE-15",
"description": "External Control of System or Configuration Setting",
"lang": "en",
"type": "CWE"
}
]
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2024-11-14T13:00:08.586Z",
"orgId": "f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007",
"shortName": "PostgreSQL"
},
"references": [
{
"url": "https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2024-10979/"
}
],
"title": "PostgreSQL PL/Perl environment variable changes execute arbitrary code"
}
},
"cveMetadata": {
"assignerOrgId": "f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007",
"assignerShortName": "PostgreSQL",
"cveId": "CVE-2024-10979",
"datePublished": "2024-11-14T13:00:08.586Z",
"dateReserved": "2024-11-07T19:27:04.476Z",
"dateUpdated": "2025-11-03T21:51:41.330Z",
"state": "PUBLISHED"
},
"dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
"dataVersion": "5.2"
}
}
}
Loading…
Loading…
Experimental. This forecast is provided for visualization only and may change without notice. Do not use it for operational decisions.
Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date | Other |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Loading…
The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the
vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base
model, served locally by ML-Gateway.
They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.
Loading…
Related by attack behaviour
Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.
Loading…