# CVE-2017-15097: Privilege escalation in postgresql init script

> An attacker with postgres user access can escalate privileges to root via flaws in Red Hat PostgreSQL initialization scripts.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Jul 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4fwh-62fj-p4ww

## What is CVE-2017-15097?

CVE-2017-15097 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, published on 27 Jul 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

Privilege escalation flaws were found in the Red Hat initialization scripts of PostgreSQL. An attacker with access to the postgres user account could use these flaws to obtain root access on the server machine.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-15097?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-15097?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2017-15097 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-15097 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop

- [CVE-2016-5405](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5405/): Information disclosure in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-7050](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7050/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-8241](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-8241/): Null dereference in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-8567](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-8567/): Denial of service in n/a (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2018-10897](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-10897/): Path traversal in yum-utils: (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-15097 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-15097 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, published on 27 Jul 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-2017-15097 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop. 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-2017-15097/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-15097/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-15097
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-15097
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-15097

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-15097/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.