# CVE-2026-116238: pgAdmin 4 account lockout bypass and unlimited password guessing

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-116238-in-server-mode-pgadmin-4-locks-an-internal-account-after-max  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-10-30. Updated: 2026-10-30  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-116238 · Severity: high · CVSS 8.1 · Published 2026-10-30

pgAdmin 4, a web-based database management tool, implements login attempt limiting to lock accounts after repeated failed password guesses. In server mode, multiple weaknesses allow an attacker to bypass these protections and make unlimited password guessing attempts against administrator and internal accounts. This could lead to unauthorized access and complete compromise of the database management interface.

Technologies: [Pgadmin 4](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/pgadmin-pgadmin-4). Vendors: [pgAdmin](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/pgadmin).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-116238 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-116238 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-116238?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 8.1, published 30 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Pgadmin 4 before 9.19.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-116238?** Yes: fixed in pgAdmin 4 9.19. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-116238 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a web application.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-116238?** Check whether you run Pgadmin 4 at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- Fixed in pgAdmin 4 9.19

## Technical details

The vulnerability involves multiple authentication bypass vectors in pgAdmin 4's server mode: Flask-Security views bypass pgAdmin's failed login counting and account locking; username matching ignores case while the lock mechanism does not; LDAP/webserver/Kerberos authentication fallbacks prevent password attempt counting; and password reset and account information disclosure are not properly restricted. An unauthenticated attacker can exploit these flaws to conduct unlimited brute-force password attacks against internal accounts, including administrators, in the default configuration.

## Affected products

- pgAdmin pgAdmin 4 before 9.19

## Timeline

- 2026-10-30: disclosed

## Related threats

- [pgAdmin 4 session invalidation failure after password change](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-116251-pgadmin-4-did-not-invalidate-a-user-s-existing-sessions-when)
- [pgAdmin 4 path traversal in server credentials](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-116249-in-server-mode-pgadmin-4-resolves-a-server-s-password-file-ssl)
- [pgAdmin 4 unauthorized server sharing to all users](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-116248-in-pgadmin-4-server-mode-only-administrators-are-meant-to-share)
- [pgAdmin credential injection via libpq service file](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-116245-libpq-looks-a-connection-service-up-in-the-service-file-of-the)
- [pgAdmin 4 Kerberos credential exposure authentication bypass](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-116244-when-a-pgadmin-4-connection-was-not-meant-to-use-a-kerberos-user)