Vulnerability Description
pgAdmin 4 opens SSH tunnels with the sshtunnel library but gave it neither host_pkey_directories nor ssh_config_file, so it always loaded the unencrypted private keys in ~/.ssh of the operating-system account running pgAdmin, read that account's ~/.ssh/config (IdentityFile, User, HostName, ProxyCommand) for the tunnel host, and could use its ssh-agent. In server mode any user could therefore configure a tunnel to a host that accepts the service account's key, with no credentials of their own or with an identity file that did not exist in their storage, and reach it as that account. The fix makes tunnels in server mode use only the identity file or password the user configured: the service account's keys, configuration and agent are no longer used, and an identity file that cannot be found in the user's storage is reported instead of falling back to ~/.ssh. Desktop mode is unchanged. This issue affects pgAdmin 4: before 9.19.
CVSS Score
HIGH
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://github.com/pgadmin-org/pgadmin4/commit/d52fe4740eb1af89d940f2e412bd66a0a
- https://github.com/pgadmin-org/pgadmin4/issues/10662
FAQ
What is CVE-2026-116242?
CVE-2026-116242 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 8.2 (HIGH). pgAdmin 4 opens SSH tunnels with the sshtunnel library but gave it neither host_pkey_directories nor ssh_config_file, so it always loaded the unencrypted private keys in ~/.ssh of the operating-system...
How severe is CVE-2026-116242?
CVE-2026-116242 has been rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 8.2/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-116242?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Review vendor security bulletins for remediation guidance.