CVE-2018-16203 in PgpoolAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
PgpoolAdmin 4.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to bypass the login authentication and obtain the administrative privilege of the PostgreSQL database via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/27/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-16203 affects PgpoolAdmin versions 4.0 and earlier, representing a critical authentication bypass flaw that enables remote attackers to escalate privileges and gain administrative access to PostgreSQL database systems. This vulnerability resides within the web-based administrative interface of PgpoolAdmin, a tool designed to manage and monitor PostgreSQL database clusters through a centralized web console. The flaw allows attackers to circumvent the intended authentication mechanisms without requiring valid credentials, effectively providing unauthorized access to database administrative functions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper authentication handling within the PgpoolAdmin web interface, where unspecified vectors enable attackers to bypass the login process entirely. This authentication bypass typically occurs due to inadequate session management, flawed access control checks, or improper validation of user credentials within the application's authentication flow. The vulnerability likely involves weaknesses in how the application validates user identities or maintains session state, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate authentication parameters or exploit logic flaws in the login mechanism.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to database security infrastructure as it allows remote attackers to assume administrative privileges without legitimate authorization. Once exploited, attackers can perform any administrative function within the PostgreSQL environment, including creating new users, modifying database schemas, accessing sensitive data, altering access controls, and potentially executing arbitrary commands on the database server. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries do not require physical access to the system or local network presence, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations with exposed database management interfaces.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software applications, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for social engineering through credential access. Organizations utilizing PgpoolAdmin versions 4.0 or earlier face significant exposure to unauthorized database access, potentially leading to data breaches, privilege escalation attacks, and complete database compromise. The impact extends beyond immediate unauthorized access to include potential data exfiltration, system integrity compromise, and regulatory compliance violations that could result in substantial financial and reputational damage.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate patching of PgpoolAdmin to versions 4.1 or later where the authentication bypass has been addressed. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to restrict access to PgpoolAdmin interfaces, deploy additional authentication layers such as VPN access or multi-factor authentication, and conduct regular security assessments of database management interfaces. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual access patterns or authentication attempts that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should establish least privilege access controls, regularly audit administrative access logs, and implement proper network access controls to limit exposure of administrative interfaces to trusted networks only.