# CVE-2017-14798: local privilege escalation in SUSE postgresql init script

> A race condition in the SUSE PostgreSQL init script allows local attackers with postgresql account access to escalate privileges to root.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 1 Mar 2018
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-934j-74pq-c42g, SUSE-SU-2017:3107-1, openSUSE-SU-2024:11183-1

## What is CVE-2017-14798?

CVE-2017-14798 is a high-severity vulnerability in Postgresql Postgresql, published on 1 Mar 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A race condition in the postgresql init script could be used by attackers able to access the postgresql account to escalate their privileges to root.

Weakness: CWE-362 (Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization), CWE-61 (UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-14798?

It affects 2 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `postgresql-init` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | All versions | 9.4-0.5.3.1 |
| `postgresql-init` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4 | All versions | 9.4-0.5.3.1 |

Products: Postgresql Postgresql, Suse Suse Linux Enterprise Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-14798?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2017-14798 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-14798 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- PostgreSQL 9.4-0.5.3 - Privilege Escalation (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-2017-14798 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-14798 is a high-severity vulnerability in Postgresql Postgresql, published on 1 Mar 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-14798 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2017-14798/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-14798/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-14798
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-14798
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-14798

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-14798/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.