CVE-2026-6479 PostgreSQL SSL/GSS init causes denial of service, via uncontrolled recursion

High 7.5 Published 14 May 2026 Updated 14 May 2026

An attacker with socket access can cause sustained denial of service in PostgreSQL via uncontrolled recursion during SSL or GSS negotiation.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Not needed
Attackable: Over the internet
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: Available

What is CVE-2026-6479?

CVE-2026-6479 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Postgresql Postgresql, published on 14 May 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

Official description

Uncontrolled recursion in PostgreSQL SSL and GSS negotiation allows an attacker able to connect to a PostgreSQL AF_UNIX socket to achieve sustained denial of service. If SSL and GSS are both disabled, an attacker can do the same via access to a PostgreSQL TCP socket. Versions before PostgreSQL 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 are affected.

Weakness: CWE-674

Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-6479?

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

Package	Affected	Fixed in
`postgresql` Bitnami	All versions	`14.23.0, 15.18.0, 16.14.0, 17.10.0, 18.4.0`

Linux distribution packages (39)

`pg_repack` AlmaLinux:8	All versions	`1.4.6-3.module_el8.9.0+3704+f1f917ce`
`pgaudit` AlmaLinux:8	All versions	`1.4.0-7.module_el8.10.0+3889+48cb11fb.alma.1`
`pgaudit` AlmaLinux:8	All versions	`1.4.0-7.module_el8.9.0+3740+0e74851f.alma.1`
`postgres-decoderbufs` AlmaLinux:8	All versions	`0.10.0-2.module_el8.9.0+3704+f1f917ce`
`postgresql` AlmaLinux:8	All versions	`12.22-9.module_el8.10.0+4249+5ffd6db7`
`postgresql-contrib` AlmaLinux:8	All versions	`12.22-9.module_el8.10.0+4249+5ffd6db7`
`postgresql-upgrade` AlmaLinux:8	All versions	`12.22-9.module_el8.10.0+4249+5ffd6db7`
`postgresql-upgrade-devel` AlmaLinux:8	All versions	`12.22-9.module_el8.10.0+4249+5ffd6db7`
`postgresql` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`postgresql-contrib` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`postgresql-docs` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`postgresql-plperl` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`postgresql-plpython3` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`postgresql-pltcl` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`postgresql-private-devel` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`postgresql-private-libs` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`postgresql-server` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`postgresql-server-devel` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`postgresql-static` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`postgresql-test` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`postgresql-test-rpm-macros` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`postgresql-upgrade` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`postgresql-upgrade-devel` AlmaLinux:9	All versions	`13.23-5.el9_8`
`pg_repack` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:1.4.6-3.module+el8.9.0+19330+c97ddbdf`
`pg_repack-debuginfo` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:1.4.6-3.module+el8.9.0+19330+c97ddbdf`
`pg_repack-debugsource` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:1.4.6-3.module+el8.9.0+19330+c97ddbdf`
`pgaudit` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:1.4.0-7.module+el8.10.0+22214+9beb89d6`
`pgaudit-debuginfo` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:1.4.0-7.module+el8.10.0+22214+9beb89d6`
`pgaudit-debugsource` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:1.4.0-7.module+el8.10.0+22214+9beb89d6`
`postgres-decoderbufs` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:0.10.0-2.module+el8.9.0+19330+c97ddbdf`
`postgres-decoderbufs-debuginfo` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:0.10.0-2.module+el8.9.0+19330+c97ddbdf`
`postgres-decoderbufs-debugsource` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:0.10.0-2.module+el8.9.0+19330+c97ddbdf`
`postgresql` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:12.22-9.module+el8.10.0+24635+941a3cac`
`postgresql-contrib` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:12.22-9.module+el8.10.0+24635+941a3cac`
`postgresql-contrib-debuginfo` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:12.22-9.module+el8.10.0+24635+941a3cac`
`postgresql-debuginfo` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:12.22-9.module+el8.10.0+24635+941a3cac`
`postgresql-debugsource` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:12.22-9.module+el8.10.0+24635+941a3cac`
`postgresql-docs` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:12.22-9.module+el8.10.0+24635+941a3cac`
`postgresql-docs-debuginfo` Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream	All versions	`0:12.22-9.module+el8.10.0+24635+941a3cac`

Products include Postgresql Postgresql.

How do I fix CVE-2026-6479?

Upgrade postgresql to a fixed version for your release line: 14.23.0, 15.18.0, 16.14.0 or 17.10.0.

Upgrade, then put limits on request size, rate and nesting depth so one client cannot exhaust the service. More about Denial of service.

Is CVE-2026-6479 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-6479 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Postgresql Postgresql vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as ALPINE-CVE-2026-6479, ALSA-2026:52395, ALSA-2026:52396, AZL-86843, BELL-CVE-2026-6479, BIT-postgresql-2026-6479 and 21 more.