CVE-2025-55283 is a critical command injection vulnerability affecting versions of the aiven-db-migrate tool prior to 1.0.7. aiven-db-migrate is a database migration utility designed to facilitate the transfer of PostgreSQL databases. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of special elements used in commands (CWE-77), specifically due to the way the tool invokes the psql client to execute commands embedded within a database dump from the source server. When migrating from an untrusted source, maliciously crafted dump files can contain embedded commands that get executed by psql with elevated privileges. This results in privilege escalation, allowing an attacker to gain superuser (postgres) level access within the target PostgreSQL database. The vulnerability requires that the attacker has the ability to supply or influence the source dump used during migration. No user interaction is needed beyond initiating the migration process. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 9.1 (critical), reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction, and complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability with scope change. The issue was fixed in version 1.0.7 by presumably sanitizing or restricting command execution during migration. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, but the severity and nature of the flaw make it a high-risk vulnerability for organizations using vulnerable versions of aiven-db-migrate.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be severe. PostgreSQL databases are widely used across various sectors including finance, healthcare, government, and technology. Exploitation allows an attacker to escalate privileges to superuser within the database, enabling full control over data, schema, and database operations. This can lead to data breaches, data manipulation, service disruption, and potential lateral movement within the network. Organizations relying on aiven-db-migrate for database migration or replication from untrusted sources are particularly at risk. The compromise of sensitive data or critical infrastructure databases could result in regulatory penalties under GDPR and other data protection laws, reputational damage, and operational downtime. Given the network attack vector and the criticality of PostgreSQL in enterprise environments, the threat is significant for European entities that use this tool or integrate it into their database management workflows.

1. Immediate upgrade to aiven-db-migrate version 1.0.7 or later to apply the official patch that addresses this vulnerability. 2. Restrict database migration sources to trusted and verified servers only, ensuring that dump files are obtained from secure, authenticated sources. 3. Implement strict access controls and network segmentation to limit who can initiate database migrations and access migration tools. 4. Monitor database migration logs and audit trails for unusual or unauthorized migration activities. 5. Use PostgreSQL roles and permissions to minimize privileges of migration users, avoiding unnecessary superuser privileges during migration processes. 6. Employ application-layer filtering or validation on migration inputs to detect and block suspicious embedded commands. 7. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests focusing on database migration workflows to detect potential exploitation attempts. 8. Educate database administrators and DevOps teams about the risks of migrating from untrusted sources and the importance of applying security patches promptly.