GHSA-FWG2-GR34-Q3W8

When a user configures ALGORITHM ES512 for any JWT access method (DEFINE ACCESS ... TYPE JWT ALGORITHM ES512), SurrealDB silently substitutes ES384 at all four internal algorithm conversion points. This occurs because the underlying jsonwebtoken crate (v10.x) does not include an ES512 algorithm variant, so the mapping defaults to ES384 without raising an error, warning, or log message.

Users who provide the correct P-521 key type for ES512 will experience authentication handshake failures due to the curve mismatch with ES384 (which expects P-384).

Workarounds

Users should reconfigure affected JWT access methods to use a supported algorithm such as ES384 (with a P-384 key pair) or another supported algorithm. Review any DEFINE ACCESS statements specifying ALGORITHM ES512 and update them accordingly.

Authentication handshake failures when using ES512 with the correct P-521 key type, and when tokens are verified by external systems expecting real ES512 signatures.

This vulnerability cannot be exploited to forge tokens or compromise the integrity or confidentiality of data handled by SurrealDB, as ES384 remains cryptographically strong.

The application uses a cryptographic algorithm known to have weaknesses, such as MD5, SHA-1, or DES. Typical impact: compromised confidentiality or integrity of protected data.

GHSA-FWG2-GR34-Q3W8 has a CVSS score of 4.3 (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

Versions prior to SurrealDB v3.1.0 are vulnerable.

The patches for SurrealDB v3.1.0 block new DEFINE ACCESS statements using ALGORITHM ES512 with a clear error message and add deprecation warnings at runtime for existing stored ES512 definitions.

1. What is GHSA-FWG2-GR34-Q3W8? GHSA-FWG2-GR34-Q3W8 is a medium-severity use of a broken or risky cryptographic algorithm vulnerability in surrealdb (rust), affecting versions < 3.1.0. It is fixed in 3.1.0. The application uses a cryptographic algorithm known to have weaknesses, such as MD5, SHA-1, or DES.
2. How severe is GHSA-FWG2-GR34-Q3W8? GHSA-FWG2-GR34-Q3W8 has a CVSS score of 4.3 (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-FWG2-GR34-Q3W8? surrealdb (rust) versions < 3.1.0 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for GHSA-FWG2-GR34-Q3W8? Yes. GHSA-FWG2-GR34-Q3W8 is fixed in 3.1.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is GHSA-FWG2-GR34-Q3W8 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-FWG2-GR34-Q3W8 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-FWG2-GR34-Q3W8 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-FWG2-GR34-Q3W8? Upgrade surrealdb to 3.1.0 or later.