Security experts identified a critical PostgreSQL vulnerability, CVE-2025-1094, with a CVSS of 8.1. The vulnerability poses a significant risk to database integrity in enterprise and production environments. Review this Cybersecurity Threat Advisory to learn how to mitigate your risks.
What is the threat?
CVE-2025-1094 affects PostgreSQL, an open-source relational database management system. It impacts PostgreSQL versions 17.3, 16.7, 15.11, 14.16, and 13.19. Due to improper neutralization of quoting syntax in various command-line programs and functions, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute SQL injections by exploiting key system functions, thereby affecting the integrity of the data.
Why is it noteworthy?
CVE-2025-1094 can put numerous databases at risk and can lead to unauthorized data access, manipulation, or compromise. Patching affected versions is critical to prevent exploitation.
What is the exposure or risk?
This vulnerability arises from how the PostgreSQL interactive tool (psql) processes certain invalid byte sequences from malformed UTF-8 characters, making it exploitable for SQL injection. An attacker who successfully exploits this flaw can achieve arbitrary code execution (ACE) by leveraging psql’s ability to run meta-commands. These meta-commands, prefixed with an exclamation mark, enable the execution of operating system shell commands. Alternatively, an attacker can execute arbitrary, attacker-controlled SQL statements through SQL injection.
What are the recommendations?
Barracuda recommends the following actions to limit exposure to this vulnerability:
- Update the PostgreSQL component to the newest versions.
- Review the affected systems’ encoding configurations and ensure that the client_encoding BIG5 and server_encoding EUC_TW or MULE_INTERNAL values are not used, as they could facilitate the exploitation of the vulnerability.
References
For more in-depth information about the recommendations, please visit the following links:
- https://www.tarlogic.com/blog/cve-2025-1094-high-vulnerability-affects-postgresql/
- https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/02/17/a-postgresql-zero-day-was-also-exploited-in-us-treasury-hack-cve-2025-1094/
If you have any questions about this Cybersecurity Threat Advisory, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Barracuda Managed XDR’s Security Operations Center.
