# CVE-2021-33204: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Attackers can achieve arbitrary code execution and privilege escalation in the pg_partman PostgreSQL extension due to missing search_path settings in SECURITY DEFINER functions.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 19 May 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2021-33204, GHSA-p3fg-5jpr-hm49, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-33204

## What is CVE-2021-33204?

CVE-2021-33204 is a critical vulnerability in n/a, published on 19 May 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the pg_partman (aka PG Partition Manager) extension before 4.5.1 for PostgreSQL, arbitrary code execution can be achieved via SECURITY DEFINER functions because an explicit search_path is not set.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-33204?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Pgxn Pg Partman.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-33204?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2021-33204 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-33204 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-33204 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-33204 is a critical vulnerability in n/a, published on 19 May 2021. 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-2021-33204 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2021-33204/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33204/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-33204
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-33204
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-33204

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33204/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.