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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-16238

🗓️ 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 3 Views

Type confusion in PostgreSQL pg_restore_attribute_stats() allows arbitrary code execution as OS user in versions before 18.5.

Related
Refs
Code
ReporterTitlePublishedViews
Family
cve
CVE
CVE-2026-16238
13 Aug 202613:00
cve
cvelist
Cvelist
CVE-2026-16238 PostgreSQL type confusion in pg_restore_attribute_stats() executes arbitrary code
13 Aug 202613:00
cvelist
debiancve
Debian CVE
CVE-2026-16238
13 Aug 202613:00
debiancve
euvd
EUVD
EUVD-2026-57848
13 Aug 202613:00
euvd
nvd
NVD
CVE-2026-16238
13 Aug 202613:17
nvd
osv
OSV
DEBIAN-CVE-2026-16238
13 Aug 202613:17
osv
osv
OSV
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-16238
14 Aug 202600:00
osv
postgresql
PostrgeSql
Vulnerability in core server (CVE-2026-16238)
13 Aug 202600:00
postgresql
ptsecurity
Positive Technologies
PT-2026-71480
13 Aug 202600:00
ptsecurity
vulnrichment
Vulnrichment
CVE-2026-16238 PostgreSQL type confusion in pg_restore_attribute_stats() executes arbitrary code
13 Aug 202613:00
vulnrichment
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(335194);
  script_version("1.2");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/08/14");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2026-16238");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-16238");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be
patched.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied
patch available.

  - 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 18.5 are affected. Versions before PostgreSQL 18
    are unaffected. (CVE-2026-16238)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2026-16238");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"There is no known solution at this time.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"agent", value:"unix");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2026-16238");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2026/08/13");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2026/08/13");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:14.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:debian:debian_linux:postgresql-18");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2026 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info2.nasl", "set_linux_os_id.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched", "Host/OS/identifier");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/Debian Linux-14");

  exit(0);
}

if (!get_kb_item("global_settings/vendor_unpatched")) exit(0, "Unpatched Vulnerabilities Detection not active.");
if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/Debian/dpkg-l"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "Debian Linux-14": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "14",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libecpg-compat3"},
          {"reference": "libecpg-dev"},
          {"reference": "libecpg6"},
          {"reference": "libpgtypes3"},
          {"reference": "libpq-dev"},
          {"reference": "libpq-oauth"},
          {"reference": "libpq5"},
          {"reference": "postgresql-18"},
          {"reference": "postgresql-18-jit"},
          {"reference": "postgresql-client-18"},
          {"reference": "postgresql-doc-18"},
          {"reference": "postgresql-plperl-18"},
          {"reference": "postgresql-plpython3-18"},
          {"reference": "postgresql-pltcl-18"},
          {"reference": "postgresql-server-dev-18"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

var distro_constraints_values = linux_unpatched::get_distro_constraints(distro_constraints_arr:distro_constraints_array);
if (empty_or_null(distro_constraints_values)) audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');

var third_party_support = get_kb_item('Host/OS/extended-third-party');
if (!empty_or_null(third_party_support)) {
    var third_party_vendors = distro_constraints_values['third_party'];
    if (!empty_or_null(third_party_vendors)) {
        var vendor;
        foreach vendor (third_party_vendors) {
            if (vendor == third_party_support) exit(0, 'A third party management patch is available for this vulnerability from ' + vendor + '.\n');
        }
    }
}

var report = linux_unpatched::check_unpatched_constraints(distro_constraints_values:distro_constraints_values);

if (!empty_or_null(report))
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_HOLE,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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14 Aug 2026 00:00Current
5.9Medium risk
Vulners AI Score5.9
CVSS 3.18.8
EPSS0.0059
SSVC
3