CVE-2026-6478
PostgreSQL discloses MD5-hashed passwords via covert timing channel
Description
Covert timing channel in comparison of MD5-hashed password in PostgreSQL authentication allows an attacker to recover user credentials sufficient to authenticate. This does not affect scram-sha-256 passwords, the default in all supported releases. However, current databases may have MD5-hashed passwords originating in upgrades from PostgreSQL 13 or earlier. Versions before PostgreSQL 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 are affected.
INFO
Published Date :
May 14, 2026, 2:16 p.m.
Last Modified :
May 14, 2026, 2:16 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
Yes !
Source :
f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007
Affected Products
The following products are affected by CVE-2026-6478
vulnerability.
Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the
products
that
are
affected, the information is not represented in the table below.
No affected product recoded yet
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | MEDIUM | f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007 | ||||
| CVSS 3.1 | MEDIUM | MITRE-CVE |
Solution
- Update PostgreSQL to a non-vulnerable version.
- Migrate passwords from MD5 to SCRAM-SHA-256.
- Disable MD5 authentication if possible.
- Monitor authentication logs for suspicious activity.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-6478.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-6478/ |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-6478 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-6478
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-6478 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-6478 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
New CVE Received by f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007
May. 14, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description Covert timing channel in comparison of MD5-hashed password in PostgreSQL authentication allows an attacker to recover user credentials sufficient to authenticate. This does not affect scram-sha-256 passwords, the default in all supported releases. However, current databases may have MD5-hashed passwords originating in upgrades from PostgreSQL 13 or earlier. Versions before PostgreSQL 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 are affected. Added CVSS V3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N Added CWE CWE-385 Added Reference https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-6478/