VulnerabilityPublished 14 May 2026

CVE-2026-6474: PostgreSQL · Use of Externally-Controlled Format String

Affects PostgreSQLSource CVE Database V5

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Not known to be exploited · CVSS 4.3 Medium · fixed in 18.4 : update PostgreSQL when convenient.

Data as of 30 Oct 2026, 11:52 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

4.3Medium

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 11% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch: Available – fixed in 18.4, 17.10, 16.14 +2

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: Low
Integrity: None
Availability: None

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable component is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed 'remotely exploitable' and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: Low: The attacker is authorized with (i.e., requires) privileges that provide basic user capabilities that could normally affect only settings and files owned by a user. Alternatively, an attacker with Low privileges may have the ability to cause an impact only to non-sensitive resources.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: Low: There is some loss of confidentiality. Access to some restricted information is obtained, but the attacker does not have control over what information is obtained, or the amount or kind of loss is limited. The information disclosure does not cause a direct, serious loss to the impacted component.
Integrity: None: There is no loss of integrity within the impacted component.
Availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the impacted component.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 14 May 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 30 Oct 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponized: A Metasploit exploit module or Exploit-DB entry exists (Metasploit scanner modules do not count), or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
PostgreSQL	Affected >=18 <18.4	Fixed in 18.4
PostgreSQL	Affected >=17 <17.10	Fixed in 17.10
PostgreSQL	Affected >=16 <16.14	Fixed in 16.14
PostgreSQL	Affected >=15 <15.18	Fixed in 15.18
PostgreSQL	Affected <14.23	Fixed in 14.23
Postgresqlpostgresql/postgresql`pkg:deb/postgresql/postgresql`Other threats	Affected <14.23 <15.18 <16.14 <17.10 <18.4	Fixed in 14.23 15.18 16.14 17.10 18.4

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

AI-suggested

Until a patch is confirmed, consider restricting access to the timeofday() function or controlling timezone zone inputs if possible.

Description

CVE-2026-6474 is a medium severity vulnerability in PostgreSQL affecting versions prior to 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23. It involves an externally-controlled format string in the timeofday() function that allows an attacker to retrieve portions of server memory by using crafted timezone zones. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 4.3 and does not require user interaction but does require low privileges. No known exploits are reported in the wild.

Impact

An attacker with low privileges can remotely exploit this vulnerability to retrieve portions of server memory, potentially exposing sensitive information. There is no impact on integrity or availability. No known exploits are reported in the wild at this time.

Summary

This vulnerability arises from an externally-controlled format string in PostgreSQL's timeofday() function. An attacker can exploit this by crafting timezone zones to cause the function to leak portions of server memory. The issue affects PostgreSQL versions before 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.3, reflecting a network attack vector with low complexity and low privileges required, resulting in limited confidentiality impact without integrity or availability impact.

References

postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-6474/ (opens in a new tab)

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 21 May 2026, 15:47 UTC

Technical details

References

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