CVE-2026-6475CWE-61

PostgreSQL pg_basebackup and pg_rewind can overwrite unrelated files of origin superuser choice

High · published May 14, 2026

CVSS v3.1
8.8
EPSS
0%
Percentile
24.2
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

Symlink following in PostgreSQL pg_basebackup plain format and in pg_rewind allows an origin superuser to overwrite local files, e.g. /var/lib/postgres/.bashrc, that hijack the operating system account. It will remain the case that starting the server after these commands implicitly trusts the origin superuser, due to features like shared_preload_libraries. Hence, the attack has practical implications only if one takes relevant action between these commands and server start, like moving the files to a different VM or snapshotting the VM. Versions before PostgreSQL 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 are affected.

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
8.8 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.00324 · 24.2th percentile
Weakness
CWE-61 · UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following
Published
2026-05-14T13:00Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 14 MAY 13:00Z
    PostgreSQL pg_basebackup and pg_rewind can overwrite unrelated files of origin superuser choice
    cvelistv5