---
id: CVE-2026-16238
title: >-
  Type confusion in PostgreSQL pg_restore_attribute_stats() allows an object
  creator to execute arbitrary code as the operating system user running the
  database, via conflation of range and multirange values
summary: >-
  Type confusion in PostgreSQL pg_restore_attribute_stats() allows an object
  creator to execute arbitrary code as the operating system user running the
  database, via conflation of range and multirange values.  Within major version
  18, mino…
severity: high
cvss: 8.8
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-843
vendor: postgresql
product: postgresql
affected:
  - 'postgresql >= 14.0, < 14.24'
  - 'postgresql >= 15.0, < 15.19'
  - 'postgresql >= 16.0, < 16.15'
  - 'postgresql >= 17.0, < 17.11'
  - 'postgresql >= 18.0, < 18.5'
patched:
  - postgresql 18.5
published: '2026-08-13'
updated: '2026-08-29'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16238'
references:
  - url: 'https://www.postgresql.org/support/security/CVE-2026-16238/'
    label: f86ef6dc-4d3a-42ad-8f28-e6d5547a5007
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-16238.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-16238'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2515319'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-16238'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16238'
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:67280'
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:67848'
tags:
  - nvd
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
epss: 0.00414
epssPercentile: 0.3296
ingestedAt: '2026-08-29T23:43:53.666Z'
---

## Overview

Type confusion in PostgreSQL pg_restore_attribute_stats() allows an object creator to execute arbitrary code as the operating system user running the database, via conflation of range and multirange values.  Within major version 18, minor versions before PostgreSQL 18.6 are affected.  Versions before PostgreSQL 18 are unaffected.

## Affected

- `postgresql >= 14.0, < 14.24`
- `postgresql >= 15.0, < 15.19`
- `postgresql >= 16.0, < 16.15`
- `postgresql >= 17.0, < 17.11`
- `postgresql >= 18.0, < 18.5`

## Remediation

Upgrade past the affected range:

- `postgresql 18.5`

## Vendor advisories

- **RHSA-2026:67280** · Red Hat · fixed in: Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 10), Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 10) · released 2026-09-14 · [advisory](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:67280)
- **Red Hat VEX** · Important · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 · updated 2026-09-14 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-16238.json)
- **RHSA-2026:67848** · Red Hat · fixed in: Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) · released 2026-09-16 · [advisory](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:67848)