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CriticalVulnerabilityCVE-2026-116238updated 30 Oct 2026, 20:20 UTC

pgAdmin 4 lets attackers guess passwords without being locked out

pgAdmin is a web tool for managing databases. A flaw let anyone on the network try unlimited passwords against accounts, including the administrator, because the built-in lockout after failed logins could be sidestepped.

Fixed in pgAdmin 4 version 9.19 or later · out Official source
SeverityCriticalCVSS 9.2 of 10
Being exploited?UnclearNo reports either way yet
Fix available?YespgAdmin 4 version 9.19 or later · since 30 Oct 2026
How sure is this?Official sourceBacked by an official source

How the attack works simplified

  1. 1Attacker sends requestsNo login needed to reach the server
  2. 2Hits unprotected login viewsFlask-Security views skip the lockout counter
  3. 3Guesses passwords freelyUnlimited tries, including mixed-case usernames
  4. 4Account is taken overIncluding the administrator account
  5. ResultAttacker gains administrator access

What happened

In server mode, pgAdmin 4 before 9.19 locks internal accounts after MAX_LOGIN_ATTEMPTS failed logins, but unauthenticated requests to Flask-Security's own login, verify, change and reset views bypass this count and lock, and username case variations also evade it.

Why it is dangerous: An unauthenticated attacker can brute-force any internal account, including the administrator's, and gain full control of the database management tool and the databases it connects to.

Are you affected?

You are affected if you run pgAdmin 4 in server mode with a version before 9.19 (the default configuration is vulnerable); desktop mode is not affected.

pgAdmin 4 server mode, all versions before 9.19

What to do

  1. Update pgAdmin 4 to version 9.19 or later
  2. Until patched, restrict access to the pgAdmin web interface to trusted networks only
  3. Review internal account logins for signs of repeated failed attempts or unexpected access

Timeline

  1. 30 Oct 2026, 20:17 UTC
    Publicly disclosed
  2. 30 Oct 2026, 20:17 UTC
    Reported by NVD · NVD
  3. 30 Oct 2026, 20:20 UTC
    Picked up by Zero Radar

Sources 1 report, oldest first

Official vendor, government CERT or advisory database

Technical details

ID
CVE-2026-116238
CVSS
9.2 / 10
Disclosed
30 Oct 2026, 20:17 UTC
On Zero Radar
30 Oct 2026, 20:20 UTC (3 min after disclosure)
Last change
30 Oct 2026, 20:20 UTC

The plain-language parts and the attack diagram were written by an AI model (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5) from the sources above. Facts like versions, exploitation and dates come from the sources themselves. How Zero Radar works

pgAdmin 4 lets attackers guess passwords without being locked out · Zero Radar