# CVE-2017-8806: Path traversal in PostgreSQL-related scripts that are specific to Debian and Ubuntu

> Local attackers can overwrite arbitrary files via insecure symlink handling in Debian PostgreSQL management scripts, causing denial of service.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 13 Nov 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2017-8806, DLA-1169-1, DSA-4029-1, ECHO-4017-b212-426e, GHSA-xg92-g8h7-v7r4, MINI-5c2r-7pwm-h7pv, MINI-73hf-wg76-95v3, MINI-m385-pqr3-2x46, MINI-q3j7-g872-7jvx, MINI-v273-43fp-fvxh, MINI-wpjc-3rh3-h3h5, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-8806

## What is CVE-2017-8806?

CVE-2017-8806 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Postgresql Postgresql, published on 13 Nov 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Debian pg_ctlcluster, pg_createcluster, and pg_upgradecluster scripts, as distributed in the Debian postgresql-common package before 181+deb9u1 for PostgreSQL (and other packages related to Debian and Ubuntu), handled symbolic links insecurely, which could result in local denial of service by overwriting arbitrary files.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-8806?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Postgresql Postgresql.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-8806?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2017-8806 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-8806 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-2017-8806 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-8806 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Postgresql Postgresql, published on 13 Nov 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-8806 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-2017-8806/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8806/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-8806
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-8806
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-8806

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8806/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.