# CVE-2026-120152: PostgreSQL pg_show_all_settings() use-after-free discloses memory

> A database user can trigger a use-after-free in pg_show_all_settings() to read memory contents; PostgreSQL administrators should care.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Harmful if only installed:** No
- **Needs a specific call:** No
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 12 Nov 2026
- **Updated:** 12 Nov 2026
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2026-120152, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-120152, ECHO-fa64-d304-9205, GHSA-3jp2-46gg-vhpr

## What is CVE-2026-120152?

CVE-2026-120152 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in PostgreSQL, published on 12 Nov 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Use after free in PostgreSQL pg_show_all_settings() allows a database user to retrieve memory contents, via loading a module while the function is scanning custom-variable placeholders that the module replaces and frees.  Within major versions 16-18, minor versions before PostgreSQL 18.7, 17.12, and 16.16 are affected.  Versions before PostgreSQL 16 are unaffected.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-120152?

An affected version is exposed as installed. No special setting or call is needed.


## How do I fix CVE-2026-120152?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-120152 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-120152 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-120152 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-120152 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in PostgreSQL, published on 12 Nov 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-120152 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Exposure: An affected version is exposed as installed. No special setting or call is needed.

Affected product: 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-2026-120152/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-120152/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-120152
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-120152
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-120152

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-120152/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.