CVE-2005-3656

Multiple format string vulnerabilities in logging functions in mod_auth_pgsql before 2.0.3, when used for user authentication against a PostgreSQL database, allows remote unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code, as demonstrated via the username.

Published: 2005-12-31 Last update: 2026-04-16 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]

Conclusion & alert: CVE-2005-3656 is rated High Risk (76.2/100): CVSS Critical severity, with high exploitation likelihood (EPSS 49.58%, 98th percentile). Core evidence: EPSS ranks this CVE among the most likely to be exploited in the near term. EPSS rose +2.05% over the last day, indicating growing attacker interest. Mandatory action: High exploitation likelihood—assess exposure and prioritize remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2005-3656

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2025-03-30 47.53% 49.58% +2.05%
2 2025-03-29 49.58% 47.53% -2.05%
3 2025-03-19 49.58%

Full EPSS history (10 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2005-3656

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
10.0 2.0 HIGH
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C Click to expand
Access vector (AV:N)
Can be exploited remotely over network reachability.
Access complexity (AC:L)
Exploitation conditions are straightforward and predictable.
Authentication (AU:N)
No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:C)
Complete confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:C)
Complete integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:C)
Complete availability impact.
10.0 10.0 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2005-3656

OS Trackers for CVE-2005-3656

vendor priority summary link
gentoo high CVE-2005-3656: 1 GLSA(s) (200601-05), 1 atom(s) (www-apache/mod_auth_pgsql); latest impact high. https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=CVE-2005-3656
redhat critical https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2005-3656
ubuntu medium CVE-2005-3656 medium priority: Ubuntu including 1 source packages (libapache2-mod-auth-pgsql), 4 status rows across 4 suites (dapper, edgy, feisty, upstream): released 3, needs-triage 1. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2005-3656

NVD evaluator notes for CVE-2005-3656

Solution: This vulnerability affects mod_auth_pgsql for Apache2, most likely in all Linux and UNIX environments. This vulnerability affects all versions of mod_auth_pgsql before 2.0.3

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2005-3656

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
guiseppe_tanzilli_and_matthias_eckermann mod_auth_pgsql <= 2.0.3 cpe:2.3:a:guiseppe_tanzilli_and_matthias_eckermann:mod_auth_pgsql:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
guiseppe_tanzilli_and_matthias_eckermann mod_auth_pgsql 0.9.5 cpe:2.3:a:guiseppe_tanzilli_and_matthias_eckermann:mod_auth_pgsql:0.9.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
guiseppe_tanzilli_and_matthias_eckermann mod_auth_pgsql 0.9.6 cpe:2.3:a:guiseppe_tanzilli_and_matthias_eckermann:mod_auth_pgsql:0.9.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2005-3656

URL Tags
ftp://patches.sgi.com/support/free/security/advisories/20060101-01-U Patch
http://secunia.com/advisories/18304 Patch Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/18321 Patch Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/18347 Patch Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/18348 Patch Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/18350 Patch Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/18397 Patch Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/18403 Patch Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/18463 Patch Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/18517 Patch Vendor Advisory
http://securitytracker.com/id?1015446 Patch
http://www.debian.de/security/2006/dsa-935 Patch Vendor Advisory
http://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200601-05.xml Patch Vendor Advisory
http://www.giuseppetanzilli.it/mod_auth_pgsql2/
http://www.idefense.com/intelligence/vulnerabilities/display.php?id=367 Patch Vendor Advisory
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDKSA-2006:009
http://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-announce-list/2006-January/msg00015.html Patch
http://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-announce-list/2006-January/msg00016.html Patch
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2006-0164.html Patch
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/16153 Patch
http://www.trustix.org/errata/2006/0002/ Patch
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2006/0070
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A10600
https://usn.ubuntu.com/239-1/
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