PostgreSQL is a widely used enterprise database; an OS-level code execution flaw risks broad disruption across organizations.
CVE-2026-16239
Type-confusion in PostgreSQL cursors enables OS-level code execution.
WAF coverage: Network-reachable. Generic WAF signatures may reduce blast radius. No CWE mapping to be precise.
Also consider: patch
Is CVE-2026-16239 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-16239 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 0.53% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-16239?
CVE-2026-16239 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.8. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-16239?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-16239. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-16239 affect?
CVE-2026-16239 affects PostgreSQL < 18.5, PostgreSQL < 17.11, PostgreSQL < 16.15, PostgreSQL < 15.19, and 1 further product or version. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-16239?
Upgrade to fixed PostgreSQL releases (18.5/17.11/16.15/15.19/14.24) or apply vendor patches.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Authenticated DB user can execute arbitrary OS-level code as the database service account via cursor/portal type confusion.
Immediate action required
- affected>= 18 and < 18.6
- affected>= 17 and < 17.11
- affected>= 16 and < 16.15
- affected>= 15 and < 15.19
- affected< 14.24
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.