Re:

Servio Medina <SMedina@iDefense.com> writes:
> The passwords being cleartext, and readable by user postgres (and root,
> ofcourse), allows bypassing the password mechanism, and gives access to all
> databases. (compromising user 'postgres' or reading the pg_shadow file gives
> access to the usernames/passwords)

Not sure exactly what you think the vulnerability is.  Postgres and root
can read all the databases anyway, so what matter whether they can read
the passwords?

Of course, if one also uses one's login password as a database password,
it'd not be too cool, but cleartext storage of the passwords is far from
the weakest link...

			regards, tom lane