sqlite ATTACH allows some filesystem access
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · Low · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-77.
Summary
osquery is a SQL powered operating system instrumentation, monitoring, and analytics framework. In osquery before version 4.6.0, by using sqlite's ATTACH verb, someone with administrative access to osquery can cause reads and writes to arbitrary sqlite databases on disk. This _does_ allow arbitrary files to be created, but they will be sqlite databases. It does not appear to allow existing non-sqlite files to be overwritten. This has been patched in osquery 4.6.0. There are several mitigating factors and possible workarounds. In some deployments, the people with access to these interfaces may be considered administrators. In some deployments, configuration is managed by a central tool. This tool can filter for the `ATTACH` keyword. osquery can be run as non-root user. Because this also limits the desired access levels, this requires deployment specific testing and configuration.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA osquery (osquery) Fixed in 4.6.0
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-26273
References
Exploit 2
More osquery vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-38950 osquery: Heap buffer overflow via `authenticode` table (Windows) CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.0
- TI-2026-38949 osquery: Heap buffer overflow in `getProcessCurrentDirectory()` via `processes` table (Windows) CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.0
- TI-2026-34102 osquery: Unprivileged users can temporarily read file carve contents CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.4
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences