CloudNativePG: Metrics exporter allows privilege escalation to PostgreSQL superuser and OS RCE
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Privilege escalation, Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 1 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA, GitHub and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-250 and CWE-426.
Summary
CloudNativePG is a platform designed to manage PostgreSQL databases within Kubernetes environments. Prior to 1.29.1 and 1.28.3, the CloudNativePG metrics exporter opens its PostgreSQL connection as the postgres superuser via the pod-local Unix socket, then demotes the session with SET ROLE pg_monitor. SET ROLE changes only current_user; session_user remains postgres. Any SQL expression evaluated inside the scrape session can invoke RESET ROLE to recover real superuser privileges, then use COPY ... TO PROGRAM to spawn an OS-level subprocess as the postgres user inside the primary pod. The READ ONLY transaction flag does not block this; it gates writes to database state, not external processes. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.29.1 and 1.28.3.
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
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cloudnative-pg | cloudnative-pg | before 1.28.3; 1.29.0 to before 1.29.1 | 1.28.3, 1.29.1 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | github.com/cloudnative-pg/cloudnative-pg (Go) | before 1.28.3 | 1.28.3 | Patch available | GHSA-423p-g724-fr39 |
| — | github.com/cloudnative-pg/cloudnative-pg (Go) | 1.29.0 to before 1.29.1 | 1.29.1 | Patch available | GHSA-423p-g724-fr39 |
- cloudnative-pg Vendorcloudnative-pg Affected before 1.28.3; 1.29.0 to before 1.29.1 Fixed in 1.28.3, 1.29.1 Patch available CNA
- github.com/cloudnative-pg/cloudnative-pg (Go) Vendor— Affected before 1.28.3 Fixed in 1.28.3 Patch available GHSA-423p-g724-fr39
- github.com/cloudnative-pg/cloudnative-pg (Go) Vendor— Affected 1.29.0 to before 1.29.1 Fixed in 1.29.1 Patch available GHSA-423p-g724-fr39
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:linuxfoundation:cloudnativepg:*:*:*:*:*:kubernetes:*:* | before 1.28.3; 1.29.0 to before 1.29.1 | Vulnerable | backstage |
- cpe:2.3:a:linuxfoundation:cloudnativepg:*:*:*:*:*:kubernetes:*:* Versions before 1.28.3; 1.29.0 to before 1.29.1 Vulnerable ·backstage
Remediation
- Fix · CNA cloudnative-pg (cloudnative-pg) Fixed in 1.28.3, 1.29.1
- Fix · GHSA-423p-g724-fr39 github.com/cloudnative-pg/cloudnative-pg (Go) Fixed in 1.28.3 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-423p-g724-fr39 github.com/cloudnative-pg/cloudnative-pg (Go) Fixed in 1.29.1 Advisory →
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Openshift Data Foundation 4 | Affected | No fix yet |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Openshift Data Foundation 4
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-44477
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-423p-g724-fr39
References
Advisory 2
More cloudnative-pg vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-40258 Untrusted search path in cloudnative-pg CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.4
- TI-2026-40254 Insufficiently protected credentials in cloudnative-pg CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-44477 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-44477 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-423p-g724-fr39 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-44477 · 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