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CVE-2023-5870

Uncontrolled Resource Consumption

Published: Dec 10, 2023 | Modified: Nov 04, 2025
CVSS 3.x
4.4
MEDIUM
Source:
NVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS 2.x
RedHat/V2
RedHat/V3
2.2 LOW
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Ubuntu
MEDIUM
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Additional information
NVDhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-5870
CWEhttps://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/400.html

A flaw was found in PostgreSQL involving the pg_cancel_backend role that signals background workers, including the logical replication launcher, autovacuum workers, and the autovacuum launcher. Successful exploitation requires a non-core extension with a less-resilient background worker and would affect that specific background worker only. This issue may allow a remote high privileged user to launch a denial of service (DoS) attack.

Weakness

The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.

Affected Software

NameVendorStart VersionEnd Version
PostgresqlPostgresql11.0 (including)11.22 (excluding)
PostgresqlPostgresql12.0 (including)12.17 (excluding)
PostgresqlPostgresql13.0 (including)13.13 (excluding)
PostgresqlPostgresql14.0 (including)14.10 (excluding)
PostgresqlPostgresql15.0 (including)15.5 (excluding)
PostgresqlPostgresql16.0 (including)16.0 (including)
Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security 4.2RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-central-db-rhel8:4.2.4-6*
Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security 4.2RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-main-rhel8:4.2.4-6*
Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security 4.2RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-operator-bundle:4.2.4-7*
Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security 4.2RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-scanner-db-rhel8:4.2.4-6*
Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security 4.2RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-scanner-db-slim-rhel8:4.2.4-7*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8RedHatpostgresql:13-8090020231114113712.a75119d5*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8RedHatpostgresql:12-8090020231128173330.a75119d5*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8RedHatpostgresql:15-8090020231114113548.a75119d5*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Advanced Update SupportRedHatpostgresql:12-8020020231128165246.4cda2c84*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Telecommunications Update ServiceRedHatpostgresql:12-8020020231128165246.4cda2c84*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Update Services for SAP SolutionsRedHatpostgresql:12-8020020231128165246.4cda2c84*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update SupportRedHatpostgresql:12-8040020231127153301.522a0ee4*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update SupportRedHatpostgresql:13-8040020231127154806.522a0ee4*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Telecommunications Update ServiceRedHatpostgresql:12-8040020231127153301.522a0ee4*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Telecommunications Update ServiceRedHatpostgresql:13-8040020231127154806.522a0ee4*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Update Services for SAP SolutionsRedHatpostgresql:12-8040020231127153301.522a0ee4*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Update Services for SAP SolutionsRedHatpostgresql:13-8040020231127154806.522a0ee4*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update SupportRedHatpostgresql:13-8060020231114115246.ad008a3a*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update SupportRedHatpostgresql:12-8060020231128165328.ad008a3a*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Extended Update SupportRedHatpostgresql:13-8080020231114105206.63b34585*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Extended Update SupportRedHatpostgresql:12-8080020231128165335.63b34585*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Extended Update SupportRedHatpostgresql:15-8080020231113134015.63b34585*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9RedHatpostgresql-0:13.13-1.el9_3*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9RedHatpostgresql:15-9030020231120082734.rhel9*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Extended Update SupportRedHatpostgresql-0:13.13-1.el9_0*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Extended Update SupportRedHatpostgresql-0:13.13-1.el9_2*
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Extended Update SupportRedHatpostgresql:15-9020020231115020618.rhel9*
Red Hat Software Collections for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7RedHatrh-postgresql12-postgresql-0:12.17-1.el7*
Red Hat Software Collections for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7RedHatrh-postgresql13-postgresql-0:13.13-1.el7*
RHACS-3.74-RHEL-8RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-central-db-rhel8:3.74.8-9*
RHACS-3.74-RHEL-8RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-main-rhel8:3.74.8-9*
RHACS-3.74-RHEL-8RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-operator-bundle:3.74.8-7*
RHACS-3.74-RHEL-8RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-scanner-db-rhel8:3.74.8-9*
RHACS-3.74-RHEL-8RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-scanner-db-slim-rhel8:3.74.8-9*
RHACS-4.1-RHEL-8RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-central-db-rhel8:4.1.6-6*
RHACS-4.1-RHEL-8RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-main-rhel8:4.1.6-6*
RHACS-4.1-RHEL-8RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-operator-bundle:4.1.6-6*
RHACS-4.1-RHEL-8RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-scanner-db-rhel8:4.1.6-6*
RHACS-4.1-RHEL-8RedHatadvanced-cluster-security/rhacs-scanner-db-slim-rhel8:4.1.6-6*
Postgresql-10Ubuntubionic*
Postgresql-10Ubuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Postgresql-10Ubuntuupstream*
Postgresql-12Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Postgresql-12Ubuntufocal*
Postgresql-12Ubuntutrusty*
Postgresql-12Ubuntuupstream*
Postgresql-14Ubuntujammy*
Postgresql-14Ubuntuupstream*
Postgresql-15Ubuntulunar*
Postgresql-15Ubuntumantic*
Postgresql-15Ubuntuupstream*
Postgresql-16Ubuntuupstream*
Postgresql-9.1Ubuntutrusty*
Postgresql-9.3Ubuntutrusty*
Postgresql-9.3Ubuntutrusty/esm*
Postgresql-9.3Ubuntuupstream*
Postgresql-9.5Ubuntuesm-infra/xenial*
Postgresql-9.5Ubuntuupstream*
Postgresql-9.5Ubuntuxenial*

Potential Mitigations

  • Mitigation of resource exhaustion attacks requires that the target system either:

  • The first of these solutions is an issue in itself though, since it may allow attackers to prevent the use of the system by a particular valid user. If the attacker impersonates the valid user, they may be able to prevent the user from accessing the server in question.

  • The second solution is simply difficult to effectively institute – and even when properly done, it does not provide a full solution. It simply makes the attack require more resources on the part of the attacker.

References

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