CVE-2007-6601 in PostgreSQL
Summary
by MITRE • 01/25/2023
The DBLink module in PostgreSQL 8.2 before 8.2.6, 8.1 before 8.1.11, 8.0 before 8.0.15, 7.4 before 7.4.19, and 7.3 before 7.3.21, when local trust or ident authentication is used, allows remote attackers to gain privileges via unspecified vectors. NOTE: this issue exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2007-3278.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2023
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-6601 represents a critical privilege escalation issue within PostgreSQL's DBLink module that emerged due to an incomplete remediation of a previous security flaw. This vulnerability specifically affects PostgreSQL versions prior to their respective patch releases, creating a persistent security risk that remote attackers can exploit to gain elevated privileges. The flaw manifests when local trust or ident authentication mechanisms are configured, which are commonly used in development and testing environments where security controls may be relaxed. The incomplete fix for CVE-2007-3278 left residual attack vectors that attackers could leverage to bypass authentication controls and escalate their privileges within the database system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the DBLink module's improper handling of authentication contexts when trust or ident authentication methods are employed. When these authentication mechanisms are in place, the module fails to properly validate the remote origin of database links, allowing unauthorized users to establish connections that should be restricted. This creates a pathway for privilege escalation because the module does not adequately enforce the security boundaries that should exist between different authentication contexts. The vulnerability operates at the authentication and authorization layer, where the system's trust model is compromised, enabling attackers to potentially execute administrative commands or access sensitive data that would normally be restricted.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching across database environments that utilize PostgreSQL with trust or ident authentication. Remote attackers who can reach the database server can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access to database resources, potentially leading to data breaches, unauthorized modifications, or complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects multiple major PostgreSQL versions including 8.2, 8.1, 8.0, 7.4, and 7.3, indicating a widespread issue that would impact numerous legacy systems. Organizations running these vulnerable versions face significant risk, particularly those with less stringent network security controls where remote access to database servers is possible. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions suggests that administrators may have delayed patching due to compatibility concerns, prolonging exposure to this privilege escalation threat.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected PostgreSQL versions to their respective secure releases, as provided by the vendor's security advisories. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to restrict direct access to database servers, ensuring that only authorized systems can reach database ports. The use of more secure authentication methods such as password-based authentication or certificate-based authentication should be enforced instead of trust or ident authentication where possible. Additionally, regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining instances of vulnerable configurations. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and maps to ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security controls beyond just patch management to address the root cause of authentication bypass issues in database systems.