CVE-2026-12047: CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') in pgadmin.org pgAdmin 4
HTML injection in pgAdmin 4's cloud deployment module. The verify_credentials, deploy, regions, and update-server endpoints under /rds/, /azure/, /google/, and the top-level /cloud/ blueprint propagated AWS / Azure / Google SDK exception text — and the related file-resolution and database-commit exception text — into the JSON response body (the info and errormsg fields) without HTML-encoding. The Cloud Wizard frontend rendered these strings through html-react-parser, so an attacker-influenced exception message embedded structural HTML directly into the wizard's DOM. The reported entry point is /rds/verify_credentials/. An authenticated pgAdmin user submits a crafted access_key whose value contains an <iframe/src=...> payload; AWS STS rejects the credential with an IncompleteSignature exception whose text quotes the access_key verbatim; the pgAdmin backend forwards that text into the JSON info field; the Cloud Wizard's FormFooterMessage parses it as HTML. The browser fetches the iframe's src from an attacker-controlled host, and JavaScript executing inside the cross-origin iframe writes to parent.location, redirecting the victim's pgAdmin tab. Because the injection renders inside pgAdmin's own interface, X-Frame-Options and Content-Security-Policy frame-ancestors do not mitigate it. Baseline impact is self-targeted (the same user who supplied the payload sees the injection); escalation against other authenticated users requires an additional cross-site request-forgery primitive capable of submitting the malformed credential request with a valid X-pgA-CSRFToken in the victim's browser context. The same unsanitised-error-into-JSON pattern was present across multiple sibling endpoints — Azure's check_cluster_name_availability, every Google endpoint that surfaces SDK errors (verification_ack, projects, regions, instance_types, database_versions, the verify_credentials path-resolution branches), the central /deploy endpoint that bubbles str(e) from deploy_on_rds / deploy_on_azure / deploy_on_google, and update_cloud_server which surfaces the str(e) from a failing db.session.commit — all of which are now covered. Fix HTML-escapes every external/SDK exception string at the endpoint sink via a new shared sanitize_external_text helper (HTML escape with control-character strip), promoted out of the psycopg3 driver into web/pgadmin/utils/text_sanitize.py. The Cloud Wizard frontend additionally renders its FormFooterMessage in plain-text mode for backend-derived strings, so the value is never parsed as HTML even if a future sink forgets the escape. This issue affects pgAdmin 4: from 6.6 before 9.16.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
This vulnerability is an improper neutralization of input during web page generation (CWE-79) in pgAdmin 4's cloud deployment module. Several endpoints under /rds/, /azure/, /google/, and /cloud/ propagate exception messages from cloud SDKs and database commits into JSON response fields without HTML encoding. The frontend renders these messages as HTML, enabling injection of attacker-controlled HTML/JavaScript. The primary entry point is /rds/verify_credentials/, where an attacker-supplied access_key triggers an exception message containing the payload, which is then parsed and executed in the victim's browser. Because the injection occurs within pgAdmin's interface, standard frame-based mitigations like X-Frame-Options and CSP frame-ancestors do not prevent exploitation. The impact is primarily self-targeted unless combined with a CSRF attack to target other authenticated users. The issue affects multiple endpoints with similar error handling patterns. The fix involves HTML-escaping all external exception strings via a shared sanitizer and rendering these messages as plain text in the frontend to prevent HTML parsing.
Potential Impact
The vulnerability allows an authenticated user to inject malicious HTML/JavaScript into their own pgAdmin 4 interface, potentially leading to browser-based attacks such as redirecting the user to attacker-controlled sites. Exploitation against other users requires an additional CSRF attack with a valid token. There is no direct impact on confidentiality or availability reported. The CVSS score is 3.5 (low severity), reflecting limited impact and the requirement for authentication and user interaction.
Mitigation Recommendations
A patch is available that properly HTML-escapes all external SDK and database exception strings before including them in JSON responses, preventing HTML injection. The frontend now renders these messages as plain text, avoiding HTML parsing. Since pgAdmin 4 is a cloud service, the vendor manages remediation for the cloud-hosted service. Users should update to pgAdmin 4 version 9.16 or later where this issue is fixed. Check the vendor advisory for the latest remediation guidance.
CVE-2026-12047: CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') in pgadmin.org pgAdmin 4
Description
HTML injection in pgAdmin 4's cloud deployment module. The verify_credentials, deploy, regions, and update-server endpoints under /rds/, /azure/, /google/, and the top-level /cloud/ blueprint propagated AWS / Azure / Google SDK exception text — and the related file-resolution and database-commit exception text — into the JSON response body (the info and errormsg fields) without HTML-encoding. The Cloud Wizard frontend rendered these strings through html-react-parser, so an attacker-influenced exception message embedded structural HTML directly into the wizard's DOM. The reported entry point is /rds/verify_credentials/. An authenticated pgAdmin user submits a crafted access_key whose value contains an <iframe/src=...> payload; AWS STS rejects the credential with an IncompleteSignature exception whose text quotes the access_key verbatim; the pgAdmin backend forwards that text into the JSON info field; the Cloud Wizard's FormFooterMessage parses it as HTML. The browser fetches the iframe's src from an attacker-controlled host, and JavaScript executing inside the cross-origin iframe writes to parent.location, redirecting the victim's pgAdmin tab. Because the injection renders inside pgAdmin's own interface, X-Frame-Options and Content-Security-Policy frame-ancestors do not mitigate it. Baseline impact is self-targeted (the same user who supplied the payload sees the injection); escalation against other authenticated users requires an additional cross-site request-forgery primitive capable of submitting the malformed credential request with a valid X-pgA-CSRFToken in the victim's browser context. The same unsanitised-error-into-JSON pattern was present across multiple sibling endpoints — Azure's check_cluster_name_availability, every Google endpoint that surfaces SDK errors (verification_ack, projects, regions, instance_types, database_versions, the verify_credentials path-resolution branches), the central /deploy endpoint that bubbles str(e) from deploy_on_rds / deploy_on_azure / deploy_on_google, and update_cloud_server which surfaces the str(e) from a failing db.session.commit — all of which are now covered. Fix HTML-escapes every external/SDK exception string at the endpoint sink via a new shared sanitize_external_text helper (HTML escape with control-character strip), promoted out of the psycopg3 driver into web/pgadmin/utils/text_sanitize.py. The Cloud Wizard frontend additionally renders its FormFooterMessage in plain-text mode for backend-derived strings, so the value is never parsed as HTML even if a future sink forgets the escape. This issue affects pgAdmin 4: from 6.6 before 9.16.
CVSS v3.1
Score 3.5low
Affected software
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Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
This vulnerability is an improper neutralization of input during web page generation (CWE-79) in pgAdmin 4's cloud deployment module. Several endpoints under /rds/, /azure/, /google/, and /cloud/ propagate exception messages from cloud SDKs and database commits into JSON response fields without HTML encoding. The frontend renders these messages as HTML, enabling injection of attacker-controlled HTML/JavaScript. The primary entry point is /rds/verify_credentials/, where an attacker-supplied access_key triggers an exception message containing the payload, which is then parsed and executed in the victim's browser. Because the injection occurs within pgAdmin's interface, standard frame-based mitigations like X-Frame-Options and CSP frame-ancestors do not prevent exploitation. The impact is primarily self-targeted unless combined with a CSRF attack to target other authenticated users. The issue affects multiple endpoints with similar error handling patterns. The fix involves HTML-escaping all external exception strings via a shared sanitizer and rendering these messages as plain text in the frontend to prevent HTML parsing.
Potential Impact
The vulnerability allows an authenticated user to inject malicious HTML/JavaScript into their own pgAdmin 4 interface, potentially leading to browser-based attacks such as redirecting the user to attacker-controlled sites. Exploitation against other users requires an additional CSRF attack with a valid token. There is no direct impact on confidentiality or availability reported. The CVSS score is 3.5 (low severity), reflecting limited impact and the requirement for authentication and user interaction.
Mitigation Recommendations
A patch is available that properly HTML-escapes all external SDK and database exception strings before including them in JSON responses, preventing HTML injection. The frontend now renders these messages as plain text, avoiding HTML parsing. Since pgAdmin 4 is a cloud service, the vendor manages remediation for the cloud-hosted service. Users should update to pgAdmin 4 version 9.16 or later where this issue is fixed. Check the vendor advisory for the latest remediation guidance.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- PostgreSQL
- Date Reserved
- 2026-06-11T20:40:07.824Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
- Is Cloud Service
- true
Threat ID: 6a357432f198dc38c1bc0d39
Added to database: 06/19/2026, 16:54:10 UTC
Last enriched: 06/26/2026, 19:15:03 UTC
Last updated: 08/02/2026, 19:17:56 UTC
Views: 81
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