# CVE-2010-0442: Integer overflow in n/a

> Remote authenticated users can crash the PostgreSQL daemon via integer overflow in the bitsubstr function.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 Feb 2010
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-gv9m-x3m7-x4g8

## What is CVE-2010-0442?

CVE-2010-0442 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Postgresql Postgresql, published on 2 Feb 2010. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The bitsubstr function in backend/utils/adt/varbit.c in PostgreSQL 8.0.23, 8.1.11, and 8.3.8 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) or have unspecified other impact via vectors involving a negative integer in the third argument, as demonstrated by a SELECT statement that contains a call to the substring function for a bit string, related to an "overflow."

Weakness: CWE-189

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2010-0442?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Postgresql Postgresql.

## How do I fix CVE-2010-0442?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2010-0442 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2010-0442 exists.

Public exploit code:

- PostgreSQL - 'bitsubstr' Buffer Overflow (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Postgresql Postgresql

- [CVE-2013-1902](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-1902/): Information disclosure in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2013-1903](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-1903/): Information disclosure in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2007-3279](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-3279/): Privilege escalation in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2002-1399](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-1399/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2016-3065](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-3065/): Information disclosure in n/a (critical 9.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2010-0442 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2010-0442 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Postgresql Postgresql, published on 2 Feb 2010. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2010-0442 exists.

Affected product: Postgresql Postgresql. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0442/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0442/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-0442
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-0442
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2010-0442

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0442/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.