CVE-2025-8715 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting multiple recent versions of PostgreSQL, specifically versions prior to 17.6, 16.10, 15.14, 14.19, and 13.22, but excluding versions before 11.20. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of CRLF (Carriage Return Line Feed) sequences in the pg_dump utility, which is used for backing up PostgreSQL databases. This flaw allows an attacker with access to the origin server to craft object names containing malicious psql meta-commands embedded with newline characters. When the dump is restored using psql or related utilities such as pg_dumpall, pg_restore, or pg_upgrade, these meta-commands can be executed on the client operating system under the account running the restore process. This can lead to arbitrary code execution on the client machine. Additionally, if the attacker has superuser privileges on the target database server, the vulnerability can be leveraged to perform SQL injection attacks during the restore process, potentially compromising the database's confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Notably, this class of vulnerability was previously addressed in CVE-2012-0868, but a regression reintroduced the issue in version 11.20. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.8, indicating a high severity, with attack vector being network-based, low attack complexity, no privileges required, but user interaction is needed (restoring the dump), and impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability are all high. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the potential for exploitation is significant given the widespread use of PostgreSQL in enterprise environments and the critical nature of backup and restore operations.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-8715 can be substantial. PostgreSQL is widely adopted across various sectors including finance, healthcare, government, and technology in Europe. The ability to execute arbitrary code on the client system during database restore operations can lead to full system compromise, data theft, or disruption of critical services. SQL injection capabilities for superusers further exacerbate the risk by allowing attackers to manipulate or exfiltrate sensitive data. Given that backups and restores are routine operations, especially during migrations, disaster recovery, or upgrades, this vulnerability could be exploited during these processes to introduce persistent backdoors or disrupt business continuity. The high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts mean that organizations could face regulatory penalties under GDPR if personal data is compromised, reputational damage, and operational downtime. The lack of required privileges on the origin server to initiate the attack lowers the barrier for exploitation, increasing risk exposure. European organizations relying on automated or semi-automated database maintenance workflows are particularly vulnerable if these processes involve restoring dumps from untrusted or compromised sources.

To mitigate CVE-2025-8715, European organizations should immediately upgrade affected PostgreSQL instances to the fixed versions (17.6, 16.10, 15.14, 14.19, or 13.22) as soon as they become available. Until patches are applied, organizations should implement strict access controls to limit who can create or modify database objects, especially those involved in backup and restore operations. Validate and sanitize all object names and database dumps before performing restore operations to detect and remove malicious meta-commands or newline injections. Restrict the use of pg_dump and restore utilities to trusted administrators and environments, and avoid restoring dumps from untrusted or external sources without thorough inspection. Employ monitoring and alerting on unusual psql meta-command executions or unexpected system calls during restore operations. Additionally, consider isolating restore operations in sandboxed or containerized environments to limit the impact of potential code execution. Regularly audit PostgreSQL configurations and user privileges to minimize superuser access and enforce the principle of least privilege. Finally, review and update incident response plans to include scenarios involving backup and restore compromise.