CVE-2014-0065 in PostgreSQL
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in PostgreSQL before 8.4.20, 9.0.x before 9.0.16, 9.1.x before 9.1.12, 9.2.x before 9.2.7, and 9.3.x before 9.3.3 allow remote authenticated users to have unspecified impact and attack vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-0063.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/09/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0065 represents a critical buffer overflow issue affecting multiple versions of the PostgreSQL database management system. This flaw exists across several major release branches including 8.4, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, and 9.3, with specific affected versions requiring patching to 8.4.20, 9.0.16, 9.1.12, 9.2.7, and 9.3.3 respectively. The vulnerability is classified as a remote authenticated attack vector, meaning that an attacker must possess valid database credentials to exploit the flaw, but does not require special privileges beyond standard user access. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the category of privilege escalation risks where legitimate users can potentially leverage the flaw to gain unauthorized access to additional system resources or execute arbitrary code within the database environment.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within PostgreSQL's core processing functions. When authenticated users submit specially crafted SQL queries or data inputs, the system fails to properly bounds-check memory allocations, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This type of vulnerability directly maps to CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow scenarios. The flaw manifests during query processing, data type conversion, and parameter handling operations where PostgreSQL's internal buffers are allocated without adequate safeguards against excessive data input. The overflow conditions can potentially lead to denial of service scenarios, data corruption, or in more severe cases, arbitrary code execution depending on the specific memory layout and attack circumstances.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-0065 extends beyond simple database availability concerns to encompass significant security implications for organizations relying on PostgreSQL deployments. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can potentially manipulate database processes, access sensitive information, or disrupt database services causing business continuity issues. The remote nature of the attack means that compromised database credentials could be exploited from any network location, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where database access is granted to multiple users or where credentials are weakly managed. Organizations utilizing PostgreSQL in production environments face substantial risk exposure, especially in scenarios where database administrators maintain multiple concurrent connections or where automated database scripts process untrusted data inputs. The vulnerability's presence across multiple version streams indicates a fundamental flaw in the codebase that required comprehensive patching across the entire PostgreSQL release family.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-0065 primarily focus on immediate patch deployment and enhanced access controls. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to the patched versions immediately, as the vulnerability affects multiple major release branches requiring coordinated patch management across different PostgreSQL installations. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit database access to only authorized users and systems, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation. Database administrators should implement additional monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect unusual query patterns or connection behaviors that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning processes, as it demonstrates how seemingly minor code flaws can result in significant security implications. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring tools that can detect and alert on potentially malicious SQL queries or data manipulation attempts that could exploit buffer overflow conditions. Compliance with industry standards such as those outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly the privilege escalation and defense evasion techniques, should be considered when developing incident response procedures for potential exploitation of this vulnerability.