Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-5870

Low

Published: 10 December 2023

Published
10 December 2023
Modified
04 November 2025
KEV Added
Patch
CVSS Score v3.1 2.2 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
EPSS Score 0.0062 70.6th percentile
Risk Priority 5 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2023-5870 is a low-severity Uncontrolled Resource Consumption (CWE-400) vulnerability in Postgresql Postgresql. Its CVSS base score is 2.2 (Low).

Operationally, ranked in the top 29.4% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

A flaw was found in PostgreSQL involving the pg_cancel_backend role that signals background workers, including the logical replication launcher, autovacuum workers, and the autovacuum launcher. Successful exploitation requires a non-core extension with a less-resilient background worker and would affect that…

more

specific background worker only. This issue may allow a remote high privileged user to launch a denial of service (DoS) attack.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.

Affected Assets

postgresql
postgresql
16.0 · 11.0 — 11.22 · 12.0 — 12.17 · 13.0 — 13.13
redhat
codeready linux builder eus
9.2
redhat
codeready linux builder eus for power little endian eus
9.0_ppc64le, 9.2_ppc64le
redhat
codeready linux builder for arm64 eus
8.6_aarch64, 9.0_aarch64, 9.2_aarch64
redhat
codeready linux builder for ibm z systems eus
9.0_s390x, 9.2_s390x
redhat
codeready linux builder for power little endian eus
9.0_ppc64le, 9.2_ppc64le
redhat
software collections
1.0
redhat
enterprise linux
8.0, 9.0
redhat
enterprise linux eus
8.6, 8.8, 9.0, 9.2
redhat
enterprise linux for arm 64
8.0, 8.8_aarch64
+6 more product configuration(s) — see NVD for full list

Mitigating Controls

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-400

Limiting concurrent sessions directly prevents uncontrolled resource consumption by capping the number of active sessions per user or account.

addresses: CWE-400

Analysis identifies uncontrolled resource consumption indicative of denial-of-service or abuse attempts.

addresses: CWE-400

Contingency plan testing includes resource exhaustion scenarios to verify recovery, making it harder for attackers to sustain exploits that cause uncontrolled consumption.

addresses: CWE-400

Updated contingency plans include current procedures to detect, contain, and recover from resource exhaustion, limiting an attacker's ability to sustain impact from uncontrolled consumption.

addresses: CWE-400

Alternate site allows resumption of operations if resource exhaustion at the primary site is exploited to cause unavailability.

addresses: CWE-400

Alternate telecommunications services enable resumption of essential functions when primary services become unavailable due to uncontrolled resource consumption.

addresses: CWE-400

The team can analyze and respond to resource exhaustion incidents, reducing the impact of attacks that exploit uncontrolled consumption weaknesses.

addresses: CWE-400

Timely maintenance support and spare parts enable rapid recovery from failures induced by uncontrolled resource consumption, shortening the impact window of denial-of-service attacks.

References