PostgreSQL row security below e.g. subqueries disregards user ID changes

Summary

Incomplete tracking in PostgreSQL of tables with row security allows a reused query to view or change different rows from those intended. CVE-2023-2455 and CVE-2016-2193 fixed most interaction between row security and user ID changes. They missed cases where a subquery, WITH query, security invoker view, or SQL-language function references a table with a row-level security policy. This has the same consequences as the two earlier CVEs. That is to say, it leads to potentially incorrect policies being applied in cases where role-specific policies are used and a given query is planned under one role and then executed under other roles. This scenario can happen under security definer functions or when a common user and query is planned initially and then re-used across multiple SET ROLEs. Applying an incorrect policy may permit a user to complete otherwise-forbidden reads and modifications. This affects only databases that have used CREATE POLICY to define a row security policy. An attacker must tailor an attack to a particular application's pattern of query plan reuse, user ID changes, and role-specific row security policies. Versions before PostgreSQL 17.1, 16.5, 15.9, 14.14, 13.17, and 12.21 are affected.

Timeline

1. Nov 14, 2024, 1:00 PM UTCCVE published
2. Nov 14, 2024, 6:53 PM UTCCISA SSVC assessment

   Exploitation: none · Automatable: no · Technical impact: partial

3. Nov 3, 2025, 9:51 PM UTCRecord last updated

Affected versions

• n/a PostgreSQL

  From 17 · fixed in 17.1; From 16 · fixed in 16.5; From 15 · fixed in 15.9; From 14 · fixed in 14.14; From 13 · fixed in 13.17; fixed in 12.21

References 1