How severe is CVE-2020-21469?

CVE-2020-21469 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.4, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-21469 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (28th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-21469?

CVE-2020-21469 affects Postgresql. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-21469?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2020-21469 published?

CVE-2020-21469 was published on 2023-08-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-21469

CVE-2020-21469 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Postgresql with a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.4. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-120.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 4.4)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (28th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-120
Affected product: Postgresql
Published: 2023-08-22
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An issue was discovered in PostgreSQL 12.2 allows attackers to cause a denial of service via repeatedly sending SIGHUP signals. NOTE: this is disputed by the vendor because untrusted users cannot send SIGHUP signals; they can only be sent by a PostgreSQL superuser, a user with pg_reload_conf access, or a user with sufficient privileges at the OS level (the postgres account or the root account).

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-21469?: An issue was discovered in PostgreSQL 12.2 allows attackers to cause a denial of service via repeatedly sending SIGHUP signals. NOTE: this is disputed by the vendor because untrusted users cannot send SIGHUP signals; they can only be sent by a PostgreSQL superuser, a user with pg_reload_conf access, or a user with sufficient privileges at the OS level (the postgres account or the root account).
How severe is CVE-2020-21469?: CVE-2020-21469 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.4, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-21469 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (28th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-21469?: CVE-2020-21469 affects Postgresql. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-21469?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2020-21469 published?: CVE-2020-21469 was published on 2023-08-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:postgresql:postgresql:12.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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