# CVE-2020-10733: Path traversal in PostgreSQL

> An attacker with write access to the installer directory can execute arbitrary code with administrative rights via unqualified path references in the PostgreSQL Windows installer.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** 16 Sep 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** BIT-postgresql-2020-10733, GHSA-r2p6-249c-3h56

## What is CVE-2020-10733?

CVE-2020-10733 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Postgresql Postgresql, published on 16 Sep 2020. 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

The Windows installer for PostgreSQL 9.5 - 12 invokes system-provided executables that do not have fully-qualified paths. Executables in the directory where the installer loads or the current working directory take precedence over the intended executables. An attacker having permission to add files into one of those directories can use this to execute arbitrary code with the installer's administrative rights.

Weakness: CWE-426 (Untrusted Search Path)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-10733?

1 open source package ship an affected version, including postgresql. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `postgresql` | Bitnami | From 9.5.0 | 9.5.22, 9.6.18, 10.13.0, 11.8.0, 12.3.0 |

Products: Postgresql Postgresql.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-10733?

Upgrade postgresql to a fixed version for your release line: 9.5.22, 9.6.18, 10.13.0 or 11.8.0.

## Is CVE-2020-10733 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-10733 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-2020-10733 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-10733 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Postgresql Postgresql, published on 16 Sep 2020. 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-2020-10733 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- postgresql (Bitnami): affected from 9.5.0; fixed in 9.5.22, 9.6.18, 10.13.0, 11.8.0, 12.3.0

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-2020-10733/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10733/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-10733
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-10733
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-10733

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10733/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.