# CVE-2026-61820: pg_partman privilege escalation via SQL injection when inheriting template properties

> A SQL injection in pg_partman allows a partman_user to execute arbitrary SQL as superuser via crafted column names, leading to full database and OS compromise.

- **Severity:** High 8.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 18 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 22 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-61820, ECHO-18af-f647-c2f7, GHSA-xqxh-6hh3-974m, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-61820

## What is CVE-2026-61820?

CVE-2026-61820 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability in pgpartman pg_partman, published on 18 Sep 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

pg_partman is a PostgreSQL extension that manages partitioned tables by time or ID. Prior to 5.5.0, inherit_template_properties() manually surrounds primary-key column names from pg_attribute.attname with double quotes without escaping embedded double-quote characters. A partman_user who owns a template table can create a crafted column name that breaks out of the generated ALTER TABLE ADD PRIMARY KEY identifier when the background worker applies the key to a child partition. The generated SQL then executes with pg_partman_bgw.role privileges, which default to PostgreSQL superuser, permitting database-wide compromise and operating-system command execution as the PostgreSQL service account. The crafted catalog identifier persists until removed and can trigger again during later partition creation. This issue is fixed in version 5.5.0.

Weakness: CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-61820?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-61820?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-61820 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-61820 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-61820 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-61820 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability in pgpartman pg_partman, published on 18 Sep 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-2026-61820 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: pgpartman pg_partman. 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-2026-61820/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-61820/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-61820
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-61820
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-61820

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-61820/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.