pgAdmin 4's Import/Export Data tool wraps a user's query export in a psql \copy (...) TO command and checks that the query's parentheses are balanced so that nothing can escape the wrapper. The check rejected a backslash inside a single-quoted string, but not inside a double-quoted identifier, where it treated the next double quote as closing the identifier. psql's \copy parser applies the connection's escape character to whichever quote opened a token, so with standard_conforming_strings off a backslash-escaped double quote does not close the identifier. pgAdmin's and psql's view of the quoting then diverged, a closing parenthesis hidden from the check ended the \copy (...) wrapper, and a following TO PROGRAM clause was executed by psql on the pgAdmin host, as the operating-system account running pgAdmin, before the server rejected the statement. An ordinary database role can turn standard_conforming_strings off for itself, and the Import/Export Data permission is granted to non-administrators by default.
This is a bypass of the fix for CVE-2026-17566. The fix rejects any backslash inside a double-quoted identifier, as was already done for single-quoted strings, since its meaning depends on a server setting that cannot be known reliably when the query is validated.
This issue affects pgAdmin 4: before 9.19.
CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS Score: 9.9
Same threat model and outcome as CVE-2026-17566, of which this is a bypass: any authenticated user with the Import/Export Data permission (granted by default) and an ordinary database role, which can set standard_conforming_strings itself, so Attack Complexity is Low. Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability are High for command execution on the pgAdmin host. Scope is Changed, as for CVE-2026-17566, because the command runs on the pgAdmin host rather than within the database server the user is connected to.
| Attack Vector |
Network |
Scope |
Changed |
| Attack Complexity |
Low |
Confidentiality Impact |
High |
| Privileges Required |
Low |
Integrity Impact |
High |
| User Interaction |
None |
Availability Impact |
High |
Same threat model and outcome as CVE-2026-17566, of which this is a bypass: any authenticated user with the Import/Export Data permission (granted by default) and an ordinary database role, which can set standard_conforming_strings itself, so Attack Complexity is Low. Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability are High for command execution on the pgAdmin host. Scope is Changed, as for CVE-2026-17566, because the command runs on the pgAdmin host rather than within the database server the user is connected to.
CVSS 3.1
CVSS Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H
CVSS Score: 9.4
Same reasoning as the CVSS 3.1 entry and the same vector as CVE-2026-17566. AT:N because no condition outside the attacker's control is needed. VC/VI/VA:H for the pgAdmin host and SC/SI/SA:H for the systems reachable from it with its credentials.
| Exploitability Metrics |
Vulnerable System Impact Metrics |
Subsequent System Impact Metrics |
| Attack Vector |
Network |
Confidentiality |
High |
Confidentiality |
High |
| Attack Complexity |
Low |
Integrity |
High |
Integrity |
High |
| Attack Requirements |
None |
Availability |
High |
Availability |
High |
| Privileges Required |
Low |
| User Interaction |
None |
Same reasoning as the CVSS 3.1 entry and the same vector as CVE-2026-17566. AT:N because no condition outside the attacker's control is needed. VC/VI/VA:H for the pgAdmin host and SC/SI/SA:H for the systems reachable from it with its credentials.
CVSS 4.0