CVE-2026-6478 (GCVE-0-2026-6478)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-05-14 13:00 – Updated: 2026-05-14 15:33
VLAI
Title
PostgreSQL discloses MD5-hashed passwords via covert timing channel
Summary
Covert timing channel in comparison of MD5-hashed password in PostgreSQL authentication allows an attacker to recover user credentials sufficient to authenticate. This does not affect scram-sha-256 passwords, the default in all supported releases. However, current databases may have MD5-hashed passwords originating in upgrades from PostgreSQL 13 or earlier. Versions before PostgreSQL 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 are affected.
Severity
6.5 (Medium)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
SSVC
Exploitation: none Automatable: yes Technical Impact: partial
CISA Coordinator (v2.0.3)
CWE
Assigner
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version
n/a PostgreSQL Affected: 18 , < 18.4 (rpm)
Affected: 17 , < 17.10 (rpm)
Affected: 16 , < 16.14 (rpm)
Affected: 15 , < 15.18 (rpm)
Affected: 0 , < 14.23 (rpm)
Credits
The PostgreSQL project thanks Joe Conway for reporting this problem.
Show details on NVD website
To clipboard 

{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2026-6478",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "none"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "yes"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "partial"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2026-05-14T15:32:42.868340Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
              },
              "type": "ssvc"
            }
          }
        ],
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2026-05-14T15:33:03.332Z",
          "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
          "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
        },
        "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "PostgreSQL",
          "vendor": "n/a",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "18.4",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "18",
              "versionType": "rpm"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "17.10",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "17",
              "versionType": "rpm"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "16.14",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "16",
              "versionType": "rpm"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "15.18",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "15",
              "versionType": "rpm"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "14.23",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "rpm"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "configurations": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "victim user has a usable MD5 password"
        }
      ],
      "credits": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "The PostgreSQL project thanks Joe Conway for reporting this problem."
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "Covert timing channel in comparison of MD5-hashed password in PostgreSQL authentication allows an attacker to recover user credentials sufficient to authenticate.  This does not affect scram-sha-256 passwords, the default in all supported releases.  However, current databases may have MD5-hashed passwords originating in upgrades from PostgreSQL 13 or earlier.  Versions before PostgreSQL 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 are affected."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "baseScore": 6.5,
            "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "format": "CVSS"
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-385",
              "description": "Covert Timing Channel",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-05-14T13:00:13.174Z",
        "orgId": "f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007",
        "shortName": "PostgreSQL"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-6478/"
        }
      ],
      "title": "PostgreSQL discloses MD5-hashed passwords via covert timing channel",
      "workarounds": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "reset password with password_encryption=scram-sha-256"
        }
      ]
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007",
    "assignerShortName": "PostgreSQL",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-6478",
    "datePublished": "2026-05-14T13:00:13.174Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-04-17T00:44:57.549Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-05-14T15:33:03.332Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "epss": {
      "cve": "CVE-2026-6478",
      "date": "2026-06-08",
      "epss": "0.0008",
      "percentile": "0.23674"
    },
    "nvd": "{\"cve\":{\"id\":\"CVE-2026-6478\",\"sourceIdentifier\":\"f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007\",\"published\":\"2026-05-14T14:16:25.463\",\"lastModified\":\"2026-05-18T15:03:55.670\",\"vulnStatus\":\"Analyzed\",\"cveTags\":[],\"descriptions\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"Covert timing channel in comparison of MD5-hashed password in PostgreSQL authentication allows an attacker to recover user credentials sufficient to authenticate.  This does not affect scram-sha-256 passwords, the default in all supported releases.  However, current databases may have MD5-hashed passwords originating in upgrades from PostgreSQL 13 or earlier.  Versions before PostgreSQL 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 are affected.\"}],\"metrics\":{\"cvssMetricV31\":[{\"source\":\"f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007\",\"type\":\"Secondary\",\"cvssData\":{\"version\":\"3.1\",\"vectorString\":\"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N\",\"baseScore\":6.5,\"baseSeverity\":\"MEDIUM\",\"attackVector\":\"NETWORK\",\"attackComplexity\":\"LOW\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"NONE\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"scope\":\"UNCHANGED\",\"confidentialityImpact\":\"LOW\",\"integrityImpact\":\"LOW\",\"availabilityImpact\":\"NONE\"},\"exploitabilityScore\":3.9,\"impactScore\":2.5}]},\"weaknesses\":[{\"source\":\"f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007\",\"type\":\"Secondary\",\"description\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"CWE-385\"}]}],\"configurations\":[{\"nodes\":[{\"operator\":\"OR\",\"negate\":false,\"cpeMatch\":[{\"vulnerable\":true,\"criteria\":\"cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*\",\"versionEndExcluding\":\"14.23\",\"matchCriteriaId\":\"C432AE18-DD50-40EB-B46A-9283F30081DA\"},{\"vulnerable\":true,\"criteria\":\"cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*\",\"versionStartIncluding\":\"15.0\",\"versionEndExcluding\":\"15.18\",\"matchCriteriaId\":\"9D8D994F-ABAB-4AC2-992F-320F4868698D\"},{\"vulnerable\":true,\"criteria\":\"cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*\",\"versionStartIncluding\":\"16.0\",\"versionEndExcluding\":\"16.14\",\"matchCriteriaId\":\"B58AE3D3-E1C9-45D2-AA92-A3D135B77A8A\"},{\"vulnerable\":true,\"criteria\":\"cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*\",\"versionStartIncluding\":\"17.0\",\"versionEndExcluding\":\"17.10\",\"matchCriteriaId\":\"A19538E9-DBB9-4396-AC04-17943E82C411\"},{\"vulnerable\":true,\"criteria\":\"cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*\",\"versionStartIncluding\":\"18.0\",\"versionEndExcluding\":\"18.4\",\"matchCriteriaId\":\"F8DB17ED-67AD-41F2-B272-27AF5B4FA2B0\"}]}]}],\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-6478/\",\"source\":\"f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007\",\"tags\":[\"Patch\",\"Vendor Advisory\"]}]}}",
    "vulnrichment": {
      "containers": "{\"adp\": [{\"title\": \"CISA ADP Vulnrichment\", \"metrics\": [{\"other\": {\"type\": \"ssvc\", \"content\": {\"id\": \"CVE-2026-6478\", \"role\": \"CISA Coordinator\", \"options\": [{\"Exploitation\": \"none\"}, {\"Automatable\": \"yes\"}, {\"Technical Impact\": \"partial\"}], \"version\": \"2.0.3\", \"timestamp\": \"2026-05-14T15:32:42.868340Z\"}}}], \"providerMetadata\": {\"orgId\": \"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0\", \"shortName\": \"CISA-ADP\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2026-05-14T15:32:49.316Z\"}}], \"cna\": {\"title\": \"PostgreSQL discloses MD5-hashed passwords via covert timing channel\", \"credits\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"value\": \"The PostgreSQL project thanks Joe Conway for reporting this problem.\"}], \"metrics\": [{\"format\": \"CVSS\", \"cvssV3_1\": {\"version\": \"3.1\", \"baseScore\": 6.5, \"baseSeverity\": \"MEDIUM\", \"vectorString\": \"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N\"}}], \"affected\": [{\"vendor\": \"n/a\", \"product\": \"PostgreSQL\", \"versions\": [{\"status\": \"affected\", \"version\": \"18\", \"lessThan\": \"18.4\", \"versionType\": \"rpm\"}, {\"status\": \"affected\", \"version\": \"17\", \"lessThan\": \"17.10\", \"versionType\": \"rpm\"}, {\"status\": \"affected\", \"version\": \"16\", \"lessThan\": \"16.14\", \"versionType\": \"rpm\"}, {\"status\": \"affected\", \"version\": \"15\", \"lessThan\": \"15.18\", \"versionType\": \"rpm\"}, {\"status\": \"affected\", \"version\": \"0\", \"lessThan\": \"14.23\", \"versionType\": \"rpm\"}], \"defaultStatus\": \"unaffected\"}], \"references\": [{\"url\": \"https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-6478/\"}], \"workarounds\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"value\": \"reset password with password_encryption=scram-sha-256\"}], \"descriptions\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"value\": \"Covert timing channel in comparison of MD5-hashed password in PostgreSQL authentication allows an attacker to recover user credentials sufficient to authenticate.  This does not affect scram-sha-256 passwords, the default in all supported releases.  However, current databases may have MD5-hashed passwords originating in upgrades from PostgreSQL 13 or earlier.  Versions before PostgreSQL 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 are affected.\"}], \"problemTypes\": [{\"descriptions\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"type\": \"CWE\", \"cweId\": \"CWE-385\", \"description\": \"Covert Timing Channel\"}]}], \"configurations\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"value\": \"victim user has a usable MD5 password\"}], \"providerMetadata\": {\"orgId\": \"f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007\", \"shortName\": \"PostgreSQL\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2026-05-14T13:00:13.174Z\"}}}",
      "cveMetadata": "{\"cveId\": \"CVE-2026-6478\", \"state\": \"PUBLISHED\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2026-05-14T15:33:03.332Z\", \"dateReserved\": \"2026-04-17T00:44:57.549Z\", \"assignerOrgId\": \"f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007\", \"datePublished\": \"2026-05-14T13:00:13.174Z\", \"assignerShortName\": \"PostgreSQL\"}",
      "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
      "dataVersion": "5.2"
    }
  }
}


Log in or create an account to share your comment.




Tags
Taxonomy of the tags.





Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

Author Source Type Date Other

Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.


Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.