# CVE-2026-53572: KEDA: PostgreSQL connection string parameter injection via incomplete whitespace escaping

> Attackers can inject parameters into PostgreSQL connection strings to redirect database connections, exposing credentials or bypassing TLS.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 21 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 25 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-96989, ECHO-4ad8-fcaa-9133, GHSA-6w3m-4hhp-775q, GO-2026-5940, MINI-4h33-945m-h8c5, MINI-6wg2-f427-7h3m, MINI-7xqc-6cm7-j775, MINI-8q2q-cr2f-49pv, MINI-hmgq-qh4w-gvp2, MINI-mh6w-8crr-8fjm, MINI-mr5v-g33c-93f4, MINI-qw9f-jq4x-qfjc

## What is CVE-2026-53572?

CVE-2026-53572 is a medium-severity vulnerability in kedacore keda, published on 21 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

KEDA is a Kubernetes-based Event Driven Autoscaling component. Prior to 2.20.0, pkg/scalers/postgresql_scaler.go constructs libpq-style connection strings from tenant-controlled host, port, userName, dbName, sslmode, and password values, while escapePostgreConnectionParameter() only quotes values containing a literal space. Tabs, newlines, carriage returns, form feeds, vertical tabs, quotes, and backslashes can therefore create additional key-value tokens when pgx parses the string. An attacker able to create or modify a TriggerAuthentication or ScaledObject can inject host or sslmode parameters, redirect the database connection to an attacker-controlled server, expose credentials, or disable intended TLS protection. This issue is fixed in version 2.20.0.

Weakness: CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command), CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-53572?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/kedacore/keda/v2 and github.com/kedacore/keda.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/kedacore/keda/v2` | Go | All versions | 2.20.0 |
| `github.com/kedacore/keda/v2` | Go | All versions | 2.20.0 |
| `github.com/kedacore/keda/v2` | Go | All versions | 2.20.0 |
| `github.com/kedacore/keda` | Go | All versions | None |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-53572?

Upgrade github.com/kedacore/keda/v2 to 2.20.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-53572 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-53572 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-53572 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-53572 is a medium-severity vulnerability in kedacore keda, published on 21 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-53572 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/kedacore/keda/v2 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.20.0
- github.com/kedacore/keda/v2 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.20.0
- github.com/kedacore/keda/v2 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.20.0
- github.com/kedacore/keda (Go): affected all versions; no fix listed

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-2026-53572/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53572/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-53572
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53572
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-53572

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53572/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.