Amazon Linux 2 : libpq, --advisory ALAS2POSTGRESQL14-2026-023 (ALASPOSTGRESQL14-2026-023)

high Nessus Plugin ID 319821

Synopsis

The remote Amazon Linux 2 host is missing a security update.

Description

The version of libpq installed on the remote host is prior to 14.23-1. It is, therefore, affected by multiple vulnerabilities as referenced in the ALAS2POSTGRESQL14-2026-023 advisory.

Use of inherently dangerous function PQfn(..., result_is_int=0, ...) in PostgreSQL libpq lo_export(), lo_read(), lo_lseek64(), and lo_tell64() functions allows the server superuser to overwrite a client stack buffer with an arbitrarily-large response. Like gets(), PQfn(..., result_is_int=0, ...) stores arbitrary- length, server-determined data into a buffer of unspecified size. Because both the \lo_export command in psql and pg_dump call lo_read(), the server superuser can overwrite pg_dump or psql stack memory.
Versions before PostgreSQL 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 are affected. (CVE-2026-6477)

Covert timing channel in comparison of MD5-hashed password in PostgreSQL authentication allows an attacker to recover user credentials sufficient to authenticate. This does not affect scram-sha-256 passwords, the default in all supported releases. However, current databases may have MD5-hashed passwords originating in upgrades from PostgreSQL 13 or earlier. Versions before PostgreSQL 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 are affected. (CVE-2026-6478)

Tenable has extracted the preceding description block directly from the tested product security advisory.

Note that Nessus has not tested for these issues but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

Solution

Run 'yum update libpq' or or 'yum update --advisory ALAS2POSTGRESQL14-2026-023' to update your system.

See Also

https://alas.aws.amazon.com//AL2/ALAS2POSTGRESQL14-2026-023.html

https://alas.aws.amazon.com/faqs.html

https://explore.alas.aws.amazon.com/CVE-2026-6477.html

https://explore.alas.aws.amazon.com/CVE-2026-6478.html

Plugin Details

Severity: High

ID: 319821

File Name: al2_ALASPOSTGRESQL14-2026-023.nasl

Version: 1.1

Type: Local

Agent: unix

Published: 6/8/2026

Updated: 6/8/2026

Supported Sensors: Frictionless Assessment AWS, Frictionless Assessment Agent, Nessus Agent, Agentless Assessment, Continuous Assessment, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Medium

Score: 6.7

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Critical

Base Score: 10

Temporal Score: 7.4

Vector: CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2026-6477

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 8.8

Temporal Score: 7.7

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Temporal Vector: CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

Vulnerability Information

CPE: p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:libpq, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:libpq-devel, cpe:/o:amazon:linux:2, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:libpq-debuginfo

Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/AmazonLinux/release, Host/AmazonLinux/rpm-list

Exploit Ease: No known exploits are available

Patch Publication Date: 6/8/2026

Vulnerability Publication Date: 5/14/2026

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2026-6477, CVE-2026-6478