# CVE-2021-23222: Security feature bypass in postgresql

> Man-in-the-middle attackers can inject false responses to initial queries, bypassing SSL verification and encryption protections in PostgreSQL.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 Mar 2022
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2021-23222, ALSA-2022:1891, AZL-8901, BIT-postgresql-2021-23222, CLEANSTART-2026-EL15965, CLSA-2022-1671124508, DEBIAN-CVE-2021-23222, ECHO-206b-79fe-1549, GHSA-735f-7qx4-jqq5, JLSEC-2026-30, RHSA-2022:1891, RLSA-2022:1891, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-23222, USN-5765-1

## What is CVE-2021-23222?

CVE-2021-23222 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Postgresql Postgresql, published on 2 Mar 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A man-in-the-middle attacker can inject false responses to the client's first few queries, despite the use of SSL certificate verification and encryption.

Weakness: CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-23222?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `postgresql` | Bitnami | From 9.6.0 | 9.6.24, 10.19.0, 11.14.0, 12.9.0, 13.5.0, 14.0.1 |
| `libpq` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 13.5-1.el8 |
| `libpq-devel` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 13.5-1.el8 |
| `libpq` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:13.5-1.el8 |
| `libpq-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:13.5-1.el8 |
| `libpq-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:13.5-1.el8 |
| `libpq-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:13.5-1.el8 |
| `libpq-devel-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:13.5-1.el8 |
| `libpq` | Rocky Linux:8 | All versions | 0:13.5-1.el8 |

Products: Postgresql Postgresql.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-23222?

Upgrade postgresql to a fixed version for your release line: 9.6.24, 10.19.0, 11.14.0 or 12.9.0.

## Is CVE-2021-23222 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-23222 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-2021-23222 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-23222 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Postgresql Postgresql, published on 2 Mar 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-23222 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- postgresql (Bitnami): affected from 9.6.0; fixed in 9.6.24, 10.19.0, 11.14.0, 12.9.0, 13.5.0, 14.0.1

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-2021-23222/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23222/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-23222
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-23222
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-23222

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23222/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.