CVE-2002-1401 in PostgreSQL
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflows in (1) circle_poly, (2) path_encode and (3) path_add (also incorrectly identified as path_addr) for PostgreSQL 7.2.3 and earlier allow attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code, possibly as a result of an integer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-1401 represents a critical buffer overflow issue affecting multiple functions within PostgreSQL version 7.2.3 and earlier. This flaw manifests in three distinct functions: circle_poly, path_encode, and path_add, with the latter sometimes incorrectly identified as path_addr. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of input data that leads to memory corruption when processing geometric data types within the database system. These buffer overflows occur due to insufficient bounds checking and integer overflow conditions that allow malicious input to exceed allocated memory boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of geometric data structures that PostgreSQL uses to represent complex shapes and paths. When attackers provide carefully crafted input to these functions, the integer overflow conditions cause the system to allocate insufficient memory buffers for processing. This results in memory corruption that can be exploited to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the database process. The vulnerability specifically affects the geometric data type handling capabilities of PostgreSQL, making it particularly dangerous for applications that rely heavily on spatial data processing.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for database systems running affected PostgreSQL versions. The denial of service aspect means that legitimate database operations can be disrupted, causing system unavailability and potential data access issues. More critically, the possibility of arbitrary code execution allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to the database server, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The integer overflow component makes this vulnerability particularly insidious as it can be triggered through seemingly benign input operations, making detection and prevention more challenging. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious geometric data inputs that cause the buffer overflows during normal database operations.
The impact of CVE-2002-1401 aligns with CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions in stack-based buffers, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflows. The vulnerability also maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1499 for network denial of service and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter execution. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to PostgreSQL versions 7.2.4 or later where these vulnerabilities have been patched, implementing input validation controls for geometric data types, and monitoring database logs for suspicious geometric data operations. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit potential exploitation paths, while regular security audits should verify that no unauthorized modifications have occurred in the database environment.