GHSA-97VG-427P-8HX5

SurrealDB offers http::* functions that can access external network endpoints, with the --allow-net and --deny-net capabilities used to restrict the set of network targets that can be reached. An authenticated user of SurrealDB can bypass a port-scoped --deny-net <host>:<port> rule by chaining an HTTP redirect: the initial request goes to an --allow-net-permitted hostname, the response's 3xx Location header points at the denied host:port, and the redirect is followed even though the destination was explicitly denied.

The root cause is in the redirect policy applied to outbound HTTP requests (surrealdb/core/src/fnc/util/http/mod.rs): the NetTarget for the redirect destination is built from url.host_str() alone and url.port() is dropped. The capability matcher (surrealdb/core/src/dbs/capabilities.rs:259-264) refuses to match a port-bearing rule against a port-stripped target (Self::Host(host, Some(port)) => match tgt { _ => false }), so the operator's port-scoped deny rule silently does not fire on the redirect target.

Workarounds

• Replace port-specific deny rules with host-only deny rules where feasible (--deny-net 192.168.1.1 instead of --deny-net 192.168.1.1:6379). Host-only rules match port-stripped targets, at the cost of denying every port on that host.
• Disable http::* for untrusted principals (--deny-funcs 'http::*') where the functions are not required.
• Terminate outbound HTTP requests at a reverse proxy that enforces port-specific access controls.

The impact of this vulnerability is circumvention of the --deny-net capability when the operator has scoped deny rules by port, and the resulting impact on systems external to SurrealDB. The ultimate impact is dependent on the deployment scenario.

For example, if a SurrealDB operator uses --deny-net <host>:<port> to block specific internal services (such as a local Redis at 192.168.1.1:6379 or an unauthenticated cloud metadata service) while leaving the rest of the host reachable, an authenticated principal that can call http::* and host an attacker-controlled redirect target can reach the blocked service and act on whatever interface it exposes.

Bounded to:

• Principals already permitted to call http::*.
• Capability configurations that scope deny rules by port. Host-only rules (--deny-net <host>) are not affected because the host-only rule arm of the matcher accepts port-stripped targets.

Untrusted input controls the target URL of a server-initiated request, which may reach internal services not otherwise accessible from outside. Typical impact: access to internal metadata services, internal APIs, or cloud credentials.

GHSA-97VG-427P-8HX5 has a CVSS score of 6.4 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (3.1.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

The redirect policy now constructs the NetTarget for the redirect URL with url.port() included, so port-specific deny rules apply to redirect targets identically to initial requests.

A new integration regression test (function_http_redirect_to_denied_port_blocked) uses two wiremock servers to verify the redirect target is blocked and the denied server receives no requests.

Versions 3.1.0 and later are not affected.

1. What is GHSA-97VG-427P-8HX5? GHSA-97VG-427P-8HX5 is a medium-severity server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in surrealdb (rust), affecting versions < 3.1.0. It is fixed in 3.1.0. Untrusted input controls the target URL of a server-initiated request, which may reach internal services not otherwise accessible from outside.
2. How severe is GHSA-97VG-427P-8HX5? GHSA-97VG-427P-8HX5 has a CVSS score of 6.4 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of surrealdb are affected by GHSA-97VG-427P-8HX5? surrealdb (rust) versions < 3.1.0 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for GHSA-97VG-427P-8HX5? Yes. GHSA-97VG-427P-8HX5 is fixed in 3.1.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is GHSA-97VG-427P-8HX5 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-97VG-427P-8HX5 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether GHSA-97VG-427P-8HX5 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix GHSA-97VG-427P-8HX5? Upgrade surrealdb to 3.1.0 or later.