CVE-2023-1907 in pgAdmin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/09/2025
A vulnerability was found in pgadmin. Users logging into pgAdmin running in server mode using LDAP authentication may be attached to another user's session if multiple connection attempts occur simultaneously.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-1907 represents a critical session management flaw within pgAdmin's LDAP authentication implementation that directly impacts the integrity of user isolation in server mode deployments. This issue arises from insufficient synchronization mechanisms during concurrent authentication attempts, creating a race condition that allows unauthorized session hijacking. The vulnerability specifically affects pgAdmin instances configured to operate in server mode with LDAP authentication enabled, where multiple users attempting to log in simultaneously could result in one user's session being inadvertently associated with another user's credentials. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the authentication and authorization process that undermines the security model of the application.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from the lack of proper session locking and synchronization during the LDAP authentication process. When multiple concurrent connection attempts occur, the system fails to properly validate and isolate user sessions, allowing authentication tokens or session identifiers to be incorrectly assigned to different user contexts. This behavior aligns with CWE-362, which describes race conditions that can lead to concurrent execution of critical sections of code, and CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication mechanisms. The flaw exists at the intersection of session management and authentication protocols, where the application's inability to handle simultaneous authentication requests creates a pathway for session hijacking attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data exposure and privilege escalation scenarios within database environments. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain access to another user's database connections, potentially accessing sensitive information, executing unauthorized database operations, or performing administrative tasks within the scope of the compromised session. This risk is particularly severe in enterprise environments where pgAdmin serves as a critical database management interface for multiple users with varying levels of database permissions. The vulnerability essentially allows for horizontal privilege escalation within the pgAdmin environment, where one user can effectively impersonate another, compromising the principle of least privilege and potentially leading to unauthorized data manipulation or disclosure.
Organizations utilizing pgAdmin in server mode with LDAP authentication should immediately implement mitigations to address this vulnerability. The most effective approach involves applying the latest security patches from the pgAdmin development team, which typically include synchronization mechanisms to prevent concurrent session assignment conflicts. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing rate limiting or connection throttling measures to reduce the likelihood of simultaneous authentication attempts that could trigger the race condition. Network-level controls such as implementing strict firewall rules to limit access to pgAdmin endpoints and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious authentication patterns can provide additional defensive layers. The implementation of multi-factor authentication for pgAdmin access, combined with regular security auditing of authentication logs, will help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Organizations should also review their LDAP integration configurations to ensure proper session management and consider implementing additional logging and monitoring capabilities to track user authentication events and identify potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper session management in multi-user applications and serves as a reminder of the potential security implications when concurrent access controls are inadequately implemented, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential harvesting and T1078 for valid accounts usage.