{"cve":"CVE-2017-12172","nvd":{"published":"2017-11-22T19:29:00.223","modified":"2026-10-15T16:17:26.737","status":"Modified","description":"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.","cvss_v4":null,"cvss_v3":{"version":"3.0","vector":"CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","score":6.7},"cwes":["CWE-59"],"references":["http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/101949","http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1039752","https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3402","https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3403","https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3404"],"products":["postgresql:postgresql"],"source":"nvd","synced_at":"2026-10-19T20:47:01.408438353+00:00"},"epss":{"cve":"CVE-2017-12172","score":0.00586,"percentile":0.47754,"date":"2026-10-25"},"kev":null,"osv":[],"attribution":["This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.","EPSS scores: FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System, https://www.first.org/epss","Known exploited vulnerabilities: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","Package advisories: OSV (https://osv.dev), from the GitHub Advisory Database, PyPA, Go, RustSec and other ecosystem databases, under CC-BY 4.0 or CC0","CVE records: the CVE Program's CVE List (https://www.cve.org), under its terms of use (https://www.cve.org/Legal/TermsOfUse). CVE is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation; this product is not affiliated with the CVE Program."]}