Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Creation and Truncation in a PostgreSQL Sidecar Service Endpoint in Splunk Enterprise
Affects Splunk Enterprise 10.2 below 10.2.4 and 10.0 below 10.0.7 where the PostgreSQL sidecar service is enabled. Fixed in 10.2.4, 10.0.7, and 10.4.0.
- Published
- Last modified
- Where the record stands: published, rejected by its publisher, or superseded by another id.What do these mean? →
- published
- Whether CISA lists it in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog: proof that attackers are using it.What do these mean? →
- Listed in CISA KEV
- How many real-world setups can hit the bug, from the vendor's advisory and CISA data. It does not know your setup.What do these mean? →
- Actively exploited
- Fix
- Fixed in 10.2.4, 10.0.7
- Whether working attack code is public (Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei or GitHub). Public code makes attacks easier.What do these mean? →
- None on Exploit-DB, Metasploit or GitHub
Summary
Splunk Enterprise 10.2 and 10.0 releases (before the fixed versions) are affected, allowing an unauthenticated network user to create or truncate arbitrary files on the host via a PostgreSQL sidecar service endpoint. This could lead to file creation or data loss on the affected system.
Summarized by anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5. Verify details against the original sources.
Read the original description
In Splunk Enterprise 10.2 versions below 10.2.4 and 10 versions below 10.0.7, an unauthenticated user could create or truncate arbitrary files through a PostgreSQL sidecar service endpoint. The vulnerability exists because the PostgreSQL sidecar service endpoint lacks authentication controls, allowing any network-reachable user to invoke file operations without credentials. Splunk Enterprise versions 9.4 and earlier are not affected. If you cannot immediately upgrade to a fixed version, you can mitigate this vulnerability by disabling the PostgreSQL sidecar service.
Timeline
- CVE published
- Added to CISA KEV
CISA has evidence of exploitation in the wild
- Record last updated
- CISA remediation deadline
Due date for US federal agencies to patch
- EPSS reached 10%
FIRST estimates at least a 10% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Affected versions
- Splunk Splunk Enterprise
From 10.2 · fixed in 10.2.4; From 10.0 · fixed in 10.0.7
References 1
advisory.splunk.com
Questions about CVE-2026-20253
What does this mean?
The bug lets an unauthenticated user create or truncate arbitrary files on the system running Splunk Enterprise. Truncating a file empties its contents.Source: advisory.splunk.com
Am I affected, and how do I check?
Splunk Enterprise 10.2 versions below 10.2.4 and 10.0 versions below 10.0.7 are affected, but only when the PostgreSQL sidecar service is enabled. To check the version, look at the Splunk Enterprise version reported by the product, and to check the service, look for disabled = true under the [postgres] stanza in server.conf.Source: advisory.splunk.com
What should I do about it?
Upgrade Splunk Enterprise to 10.4.0, 10.2.4, 10.0.7, or a later version. If you cannot upgrade yet, disable the PostgreSQL sidecar service by adding disabled = true under the [postgres] stanza in server.conf and restarting Splunk Enterprise.Source: advisory.splunk.com
Is it being exploited?
Yes. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-06-18, which means it has evidence of attacks. No public exploit code is tracked.Source: cisa.gov, cve.now feed data