CVE-2023-5869 | Postgresql: buffer overrun from integer overflow in array modification

A flaw was found in PostgreSQL that allows authenticated database users to execute arbitrary code through missing overflow checks during SQL array value modification. This issue exists due to an integer overflow during array modification where a remote user can trigger the overflow by providing specially crafted data. This enables the execution of arbitrary code on the target system, allowing users to write arbitrary bytes to memory and extensively read the server's memory.

Published: 2023-12-10 Last update: 2025-11-04 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]

Conclusion & alert: CVE-2023-5869 is rated Moderate Risk (63.8/100): CVSS High severity, with medium exploitation likelihood (EPSS 1.61%). Mandatory action: 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-2023-5869

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 2026-05-04 1.65% 1.61% -0.04%
2 2026-04-21 1.61% 1.65% +0.04%
3 2026-04-02 1.61%

Full EPSS history (43 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2023-5869

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
8.8 3.1 HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
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:L)
A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
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.
2.8 5.9 [email protected]
8.8 3.1 HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
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:L)
A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
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.
2.8 5.9 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2023-5869

OS Trackers for CVE-2023-5869

vendor priority summary link
alpine CVE-2023-5869: 6 source package rows (postgresql, postgresql12, postgresql14, postgresql15, postgresql16, postgresql17); 32 state rows across 13 repos (3.17-main, 3.18-community, 3.18-main, 3.19-community, 3.19-main, 3.20-community, 3.20-main, 3.21-community, 3.21-main, 3.22-community, 3.22-main, edge-community, edge-main); fixed 21, open 11. https://security.alpinelinux.org/vuln/CVE-2023-5869
debian not yet assigned CVE-2023-5869 not yet assigned priority: Debian including 2 source packages (postgresql-13, postgresql-15), 2 status rows across 2 suites (bookworm, bullseye): resolved 2. https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2023-5869
gentoo normal CVE-2023-5869: 1 GLSA(s) (202408-06), 1 atom(s) (dev-db/postgresql); latest impact normal. https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=CVE-2023-5869
redhat high https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-5869
suse critical CVE-2023-5869 severity critical: SUSE including 610 source package names (14.10-24.14:libpq5-16.1-150200.5.7.1, 14.10-24.14:postgresql-16-150400.4.9.2, …), 1437 product×package rows across 47 product lines (Container suse/postgres, Image SLES15-SP4-Manager-Server-4-3, … (47 product lines)): Fixed 1206, Known Affected 231. https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-5869/
ubuntu medium CVE-2023-5869 medium priority: Ubuntu including 8 source packages (postgresql-10, postgresql-12, …), 96 status rows across 12 suites (bionic, focal, jammy, lunar, mantic, noble, oracular, plucky, questing, trusty, upstream, xenial): DNE 77, released 10, ignored 5, not-affected 2, deferred 1, needs-triage 1. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2023-5869

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2023-5869

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
postgresql postgresql >= 11.0, < 11.22 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql >= 12.0, < 12.17 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql >= 13.0, < 13.13 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql >= 14.0, < 14.10 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql >= 15.0, < 15.5 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
postgresql postgresql 16.0 cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:16.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat codeready_linux_builder_eus 9.2 cpe:2.3:a:redhat:codeready_linux_builder_eus:9.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat codeready_linux_builder_eus_for_power_little_endian_eus 9.0_ppc64le cpe:2.3:a:redhat:codeready_linux_builder_eus_for_power_little_endian_eus:9.0_ppc64le:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat codeready_linux_builder_eus_for_power_little_endian_eus 9.2_ppc64le cpe:2.3:a:redhat:codeready_linux_builder_eus_for_power_little_endian_eus:9.2_ppc64le:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat codeready_linux_builder_for_arm64_eus 8.6_aarch64 cpe:2.3:a:redhat:codeready_linux_builder_for_arm64_eus:8.6_aarch64:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat codeready_linux_builder_for_arm64_eus 9.0_aarch64 cpe:2.3:a:redhat:codeready_linux_builder_for_arm64_eus:9.0_aarch64:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat codeready_linux_builder_for_arm64_eus 9.2_aarch64 cpe:2.3:a:redhat:codeready_linux_builder_for_arm64_eus:9.2_aarch64:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat codeready_linux_builder_for_ibm_z_systems_eus 9.0_s390x cpe:2.3:a:redhat:codeready_linux_builder_for_ibm_z_systems_eus:9.0_s390x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat codeready_linux_builder_for_ibm_z_systems_eus 9.2_s390x cpe:2.3:a:redhat:codeready_linux_builder_for_ibm_z_systems_eus:9.2_s390x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat codeready_linux_builder_for_power_little_endian_eus 9.0_ppc64le cpe:2.3:a:redhat:codeready_linux_builder_for_power_little_endian_eus:9.0_ppc64le:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat codeready_linux_builder_for_power_little_endian_eus 9.2_ppc64le cpe:2.3:a:redhat:codeready_linux_builder_for_power_little_endian_eus:9.2_ppc64le:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat software_collections 1.0 cpe:2.3:a:redhat:software_collections:1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux 8.0 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux 9.0 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_desktop 7.0 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_eus 8.6 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_eus:8.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_eus 8.8 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_eus:8.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_eus 9.0 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_eus:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_eus 9.2 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_eus:9.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_arm_64 8.0 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_arm_64:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_arm_64 8.8_aarch64 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_arm_64:8.8_aarch64:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems 7.0_s390x cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems:7.0_s390x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems 8.0_s390x cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems:8.0_s390x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems_eus 8.6_s390x cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems_eus:8.6_s390x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems_eus 8.8_s390x cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems_eus:8.8_s390x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems_eus 9.0_s390x cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems_eus:9.0_s390x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems_eus 9.2_s390x cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems_eus:9.2_s390x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_power_big_endian 7.0_ppc64 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_big_endian:7.0_ppc64:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian 7.0_ppc64le cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian:7.0_ppc64le:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian 8.0_ppc64le cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian:8.0_ppc64le:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian_eus 8.6_ppc64le cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian_eus:8.6_ppc64le:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian_eus 8.8_ppc64le cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian_eus:8.8_ppc64le:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian_eus 9.0_ppc64le cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian_eus:9.0_ppc64le:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian_eus 9.2_ppc64le cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian_eus:9.2_ppc64le:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_for_scientific_computing 7.0 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_scientific_computing:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_server_aus 8.2 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_server_aus 8.4 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_server_aus 8.6 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:8.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_server_aus 9.2 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:9.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_server_tus 8.2 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_tus:8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_server_tus 8.4 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_tus:8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_server_tus 8.6 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_tus:8.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
redhat enterprise_linux_workstation 7.0 cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_workstation:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2023-5869

URL Tags
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7545 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7579 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7580 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7581 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7616 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7656 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7666 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7667 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7694 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7695 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7714 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7770 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7771 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7772 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7778 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7783 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7784
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7785
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7786
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7788
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7789
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7790
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7878
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7883
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7884
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7885
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0304
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0332
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:0337
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-5869 Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2247169 Issue Tracking
https://www.postgresql.org/about/news/postgresql-161-155-1410-1313-1217-and-1122-released-2749/ Release Notes
https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2023-5869/ Vendor Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/11/msg00007.html
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240119-0003/
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