TimescaleDB has incorrect access control
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass, Privilege escalation
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-284 and CWE-269.
Summary
TimescaleDB, an open-source time-series SQL database, has a privilege escalation vulnerability in versions 2.8.0 through 2.9.2. During installation, TimescaleDB creates a telemetry job that is runs as the installation user. The queries run as part of the telemetry data collection were not run with a locked down `search_path`, allowing malicious users to create functions that would be executed by the telemetry job, leading to privilege escalation. In order to be able to take advantage of this vulnerability, a user would need to be able to create objects in a database and then get a superuser to install TimescaleDB into their database. When TimescaleDB is installed as trusted extension, non-superusers can install the extension without help from a superuser. Version 2.9.3 fixes this issue. As a mitigation, the `search_path` of the user running the telemetry job can be locked down to not include schemas writable by other users. The vulnerability is not exploitable on instances in Timescale Cloud and Managed Service for TimescaleDB due to additional security provisions in place on those platforms.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA timescaledb (timescale) Fixed in 2.9.3
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-25149
References
More Timescaledb vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-23232 TimescaleDB uses untrusted search path during extension upgrade CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-08073 Timescale TimescaleDB 1.x and 2.x before 2.5.2 may allow privilege escalation during… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.0
- TI-2026-49345 TimescaleDB 2.29.1 Out-of-Bounds Read DoS via Bulk Dictionary Decompression Negative Index CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.1
- TI-2026-49344 TimescaleDB 2.29.1 Out-of-Bounds Read Information Disclosure via Dictionary Compression Reverse Iterator CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.2
- TI-2026-49343 TimescaleDB 2.29.1 Out-of-Bounds Read DoS via Gorilla Compression Reverse Iterator CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.1
Sources
- CVE-2023-25149 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-25149 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- CVE-2023-25149 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences