CVE-2017-12172

PostgreSQL 10.x before 10.1, 9.6.x before 9.6.6, 9.5.x before 9.5.10, 9.4.x before 9.4.15, 9.3.x before 9.3.20, and 9.2.x before 9.2.24 runs under a non-root operating system account, and database superusers have effective ability to run arbitrary code under that system account. PostgreSQL provides a script for starting the database server during system boot. Packages of PostgreSQL for many operating systems provide their own, packager-authored startup implementations. Several implementations use a log file name that the database superuser can replace with a symbolic link. As root, they open(), chmod() and/or chown() this log file name. This often suffices for the database superuser to escalate to root privileges when root starts the server.

Published: 2017-11-22 Last update: 2026-06-16 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Modified，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2017-12172 is rated Moderate Risk (42.5/100): CVSS Medium severity, with low exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.59%). Review affected assets and schedule 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-2017-12172

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 2026-06-15 0.05% 0.59% +0.53%
2 2026-02-01 0.05% 0.05% +0.01%
3 2025-06-19 — 0.05% —

Full EPSS history (10 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2017-12172

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
6.7 3.0 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:L)
They already need access on the box, or another person has to do something wrong; it’s not a remote drive-by.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:H)
They need powerful rights—admin, root, or similar—before this pays off.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 0.8 5.9 [email protected]
7.2 2.0 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C Click to expand
Access vector (AV:L)
Requires local access to the target system.
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.
 3.9 10.0 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2017-12172

OS Trackers for CVE-2017-12172

vendor priority summary link
redhat medium — https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2017-12172
suse high CVE-2017-12172 severity important: SUSE including 28 source package names (libecpg6-9.4.15-0.23.10.1, libpq5-32bit-9.4.15-0.23.10.1, …), 69 product×package rows across 20 product lines (SUSE Liberty Linux 7, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP2, … (20 product lines)): Fixed 55, Known Not Affected 14. https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2017-12172/
ubuntu negligible CVE-2017-12172 negligible priority: Ubuntu including 4 source packages (postgresql-9.1, postgresql-9.3, postgresql-9.5, postgresql-9.6), 20 status rows across 5 suites (artful, trusty, upstream, xenial, zesty): DNE 12, needs-triage 4, not-affected 4. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2017-12172

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2017-12172

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
postgresql postgresql 9.2 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.1 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.2 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.3 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.4 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.5 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.6 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.7 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.8 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.9 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.10 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.11 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.12 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.13 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.14 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.15 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.16 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.17 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.18 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.19 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.20 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.21 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.21:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.22 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.22:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.2.23 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.2.23:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.1 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.2 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.3 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.4 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.5 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.6 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.7 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.8 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.9 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.10 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.11 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.12 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.13 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.14 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.15 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.16 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.17 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.18 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.3.19 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.3.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4.1 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4.2 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4.3 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4.4 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4.5 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4.6 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4.7 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4.8 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4.9 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4.10 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4.11 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4.12 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4.13 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.4.14 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.4.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.5 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.5.1 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.5.2 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.5.3 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.5.4 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.5.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.5.5 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.5.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.5.6 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.5.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.5.7 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.5.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.5.8 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.5.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.5.9 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.5.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.6 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.6.1 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.6.2 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.6.3 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.6.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.6.4 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.6.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 9.6.5 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:9.6.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 10 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2017-12172

URL Tags
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/101949 Third Party Advisory VDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1039752 Third Party Advisory VDB Entry
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3402 Issue Tracking Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3403 Issue Tracking Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3404 Issue Tracking Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3405 Issue Tracking Third Party Advisory
https://www.postgresql.org/about/news/1801/ Issue Tracking Vendor Advisory
https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/ Issue Tracking Vendor Advisory
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