CVE-2023-5869

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2023-5869?

CVE-2023-5869 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (HIGH). This CVE-2023-5869 vulnerability in PostgreSQL allows authenticated database users to execute arbitrary code on the server through an integer overflow when modifying SQL arrays. Attackers can write arbitrary bytes to memory and read server memory, potentially leading to full system compromise. All PostgreSQL deployments with authenticated users are affected.

8.8 HIGH

Remote Code Execution

📋 TL;DR

This CVE-2023-5869 vulnerability in PostgreSQL allows authenticated database users to execute arbitrary code on the server through an integer overflow when modifying SQL arrays. Attackers can write arbitrary bytes to memory and read server memory, potentially leading to full system compromise. All PostgreSQL deployments with authenticated users are affected.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

PostgreSQL

Versions: All versions before 16.1, 15.5, 14.10, 13.13, and 12.17

Operating Systems: All operating systems running PostgreSQL

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Requires authenticated database user access; no special configuration needed.

📦 What is this software?

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Full remote code execution leading to complete system takeover, data exfiltration, and lateral movement within the network.

🟠

Likely Case

Database compromise leading to data theft, privilege escalation, and potential persistence mechanisms installed.

🟢

If Mitigated

Limited impact if proper network segmentation, least privilege access, and monitoring are in place.

🌐 Internet-Facing: HIGH - Internet-facing PostgreSQL instances are directly exploitable by authenticated attackers.

🏢 Internal Only: HIGH - Internal PostgreSQL instances remain vulnerable to authenticated users, including compromised accounts.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: LIKELY

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Requires authenticated database access but exploit details are relatively straightforward once understood.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: PostgreSQL 16.1, 15.5, 14.10, 13.13, 12.17

Vendor Advisory: https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Backup databases. 2. Stop PostgreSQL service. 3. Install patched version from official PostgreSQL repository. 4. Start PostgreSQL service. 5. Verify functionality.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Restrict Database User Privileges

all

Apply principle of least privilege to limit which users can modify arrays

REVOKE UPDATE, INSERT, DELETE ON ALL TABLES IN SCHEMA public FROM vulnerable_user;
REVOKE ALL ON DATABASE target_db FROM vulnerable_user;

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Implement strict network access controls to limit PostgreSQL port access to only trusted sources.
Deploy application-level monitoring for unusual array modification queries and privilege escalation attempts.

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check PostgreSQL version: SELECT version(); If version is below 16.1, 15.5, 14.10, 13.13, or 12.17, system is vulnerable.

Check Version:

SELECT version();

Verify Fix Applied:

After patching, run SELECT version(); and confirm version is 16.1, 15.5, 14.10, 13.13, 12.17 or higher.

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Unusual array modification queries from authenticated users
Multiple failed authentication attempts followed by successful login and array operations
PostgreSQL error logs showing memory access violations

Network Indicators:

Unusual database connections from unexpected sources
High volume of array-related SQL queries

SIEM Query:

source="postgresql.log" AND ("array" OR "memory" OR "overflow") AND severity=ERROR

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2023-5869

CVSS v3 Score: 8.8 (HIGH)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CWE: CWE-190

Published: December 10, 2023

Last Updated: November 4, 2025

🔗 References

https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7545 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7579 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7580 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7581 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7616 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7656 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7666 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7667 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7694 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7695 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7714 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7770 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7771 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7772 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7778 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7783 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7784
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7785
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7786
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7788
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7789
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7790
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7878
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7883
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7884
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7885
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0304
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0332
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0337
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-5869 Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2247169 Issue Tracking
https://www.postgresql.org/about/news/postgresql-161-155-1410-1313-1217-and-1122-released-2749/ Release Notes
https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2023-5869/ Vendor Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7545 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7579 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7580 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7581 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7616 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7656 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7666 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7667 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7694 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7695 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7714 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7770 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7771 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7772 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7778 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7783 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7784
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7785
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7786
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7788
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7789
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7790
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7878
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7883
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7884
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7885
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0304
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0332
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0337
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-5869 Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2247169 Issue Tracking
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/11/msg00007.html
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240119-0003/
https://www.postgresql.org/about/news/postgresql-161-155-1410-1313-1217-and-1122-released-2749/ Release Notes
https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2023-5869/ Vendor Advisory

📋 TL;DR

💻 Affected Systems

📦 What is this software?

Codeready Linux Builder Eus by Redhat

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Postgresql by Postgresql

Postgresql by Postgresql

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Software Collections by Redhat

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

Worst Case

Likely Case

If Mitigated

🎯 Exploit Status

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Instructions:

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Restrict Database User Privileges

🧯 If You Can't Patch

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check Version:

Verify Fix Applied:

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Network Indicators:

SIEM Query:

📊 Metadata

🔗 References

📤 Share & Export

🔗 Related Vulnerabilities