Affects widely used PostgreSQL with pgcrypto; enables remote code execution on DB host; multi-version exposure across PostgreSQL branches.
CVE-2026-2005
Heap buffer overflow in PostgreSQL pgcrypto enables RCE via ciphertext.
Is CVE-2026-2005 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-2005 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 1.3% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-2005?
CVE-2026-2005 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-2026-2005?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-2005. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-2005 affect?
CVE-2026-2005 affects PostgreSQL (pgcrypto) versions <18.2, <17.8, <16.12, <15.16, <14.21. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-2005?
Upgrade to fixed releases: PostgreSQL 18.2+, 17.8+, 16.12+, 15.16+, 14.21+
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Remote code execution via crafted ciphertext; attacker runs arbitrary OS commands as the DB service user.
Immediate action required
- affected>= 18 and < 18.2
- affected>= 17 and < 17.8
- affected>= 16 and < 16.12
- affected>= 15 and < 15.16
- affected< 14.21
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.