CVE-2023-5870 | Postgresql: role pg_signal_backend can signal certain superuser processes.

A flaw was found in PostgreSQL involving the pg_cancel_backend role that signals background workers, including the logical replication launcher, autovacuum workers, and the autovacuum launcher. Successful exploitation requires a non-core extension with a less-resilient background worker and would affect that specific background worker only. This issue may allow a remote high privileged user to launch a denial of service (DoS) attack.

Published: 2023-12-10 Last update: 2025-11-04 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Modified，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2023-5870 is rated Low Risk (33.2/100): CVSS Low severity, with medium exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.62%). Monitor for updates and reassess as exploit intelligence or EPSS changes.

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-2023-5870

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 2026-05-05 0.80% 0.62% -0.17%
2 2026-05-01 0.64% 0.80% +0.16%
3 2026-03-29 — 0.64% —

Full EPSS history (35 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2023-5870

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
2.2 3.1 LOW
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L 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:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
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:N)
Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:N)
Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged.
Availability (A:L)
Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.
 0.7 1.4 [email protected]
4.4 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
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:N)
Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:N)
Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 0.7 3.6 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2023-5870

OS Trackers for CVE-2023-5870

vendor priority summary link
alpine — CVE-2023-5870: 5 source package rows (postgresql12, postgresql14, postgresql15, postgresql16, postgresql17); 21 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 0. https://security.alpinelinux.org/vuln/CVE-2023-5870
debian not yet assigned CVE-2023-5870 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-2023-5870
gentoo normal CVE-2023-5870: 1 GLSA(s) (202408-06), 1 atom(s) (dev-db/postgresql); latest impact normal. https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=CVE-2023-5870
redhat low — https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-5870
suse medium CVE-2023-5870 severity moderate: 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, …), 1672 product×package rows across 63 product lines (Container suse/postgres, Image SLES15-SP4-Manager-Server-4-3, … (63 product lines)): Fixed 1182, Known Not Affected 259, Known Affected 231. https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-5870/
ubuntu medium CVE-2023-5870 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-2023-5870

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2023-5870

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_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 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_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_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:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2023-5870

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-2023:7772 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-2023:7883
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-2023-5870 Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2247170 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-2023-5870/ 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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