CVE-2025-12762
📋 TL;DR
pgAdmin versions up to 9.9 running in server mode are vulnerable to remote code execution when processing PLAIN-format database dump files during restore operations. Attackers can inject arbitrary commands that execute on the pgAdmin server, potentially compromising the entire database management system and underlying data. This affects all organizations using vulnerable pgAdmin configurations.
💻 Affected Systems
- pgAdmin
📦 What is this software?
Pgadmin 4 by Pgadmin
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete compromise of the pgAdmin server leading to database takeover, data exfiltration, lateral movement to other systems, and persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Unauthorized database access, data manipulation or theft, and potential privilege escalation on the host system.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if pgAdmin runs in desktop mode only, uses isolated network segments, and implements strict input validation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires access to pgAdmin's restore functionality and ability to upload malicious dump files. Authentication to pgAdmin is typically required.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: pgAdmin 10.0 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/pgadmin-org/pgadmin4/issues/9320
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Backup pgAdmin configuration and data. 2. Stop pgAdmin service. 3. Upgrade to pgAdmin 10.0 or later using official package manager or installer. 4. Restart pgAdmin service. 5. Verify upgrade completed successfully.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable server mode
allRun pgAdmin in desktop-only mode to eliminate web interface attack surface
Stop pgAdmin service
Uninstall server components if possible
Use desktop application only
Restrict restore functionality
allLimit who can perform database restores and from which sources
Configure pgAdmin role permissions to restrict restore operations
Implement network controls to limit upload sources
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate pgAdmin server on restricted network segment with no internet access
- Implement strict input validation and sanitization for all file uploads and restore operations
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check pgAdmin version and verify if running in server mode with version ≤ 9.9Check Version:
pgadmin4 --version or check web interface About pageVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm pgAdmin version is 10.0 or higher and test restore functionality with controlled inputs📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual restore operations
- Large or malformed dump file uploads
- Unexpected command execution in system logs
Network Indicators:
- Suspicious file uploads to pgAdmin restore endpoint
- Outbound connections from pgAdmin server to unexpected destinations
SIEM Query:
source="pgadmin" AND (event="restore" OR event="upload") AND size>100MB