Summary
SurrealDB vulnerable to memory exhaustion via nested functions and scripts
In order to prevent DoS situations due to infinite recursions, SurrealDB implements a limit of nested calls for both native functions and embedded JavaScript functions.
However, in SurrealDB instances with embedded scripting functions enabled, it was found that this limit can be circumvented by utilizing both at the same time. If a native function contains JavaScript which issues a new query that calls that function, the recursion limit is not triggered.
Once executed, SurrealDB will follow the path of infinite recursions until the system runs out of memory, prior to the recursion limit being triggered.
This vulnerability can only affect SurrealDB servers explicitly enabling the scripting capability with --allow-scripting or--allow-all and equivalent environment variables SURREAL_CAPS_ALLOW_SCRIPT=true and SURREAL_CAPS_ALLOW_ALL=true.
This issue was discovered and patched during an code audit and penetration test of SurrealDB by cure53, the severity defined within cure53's preliminary finding is Medium, matched by our CVSS v4 assessment.
Workarounds
Deny execution of embedded scripting functions through the configuration of capabilities by starting SurrealDB with the --deny-scripting flag or the equivalent environment variable SURREAL_CAPS_DENY_SCRIPT=true. This has a usability implication, although scripting functions are disabled by default.
References
SurrealDB Documentation - Capabilities
SurrealQL Documentation - Scripting Functions
Impact
For SurrealDB instances with embedded scripting functions enabled, this attack could be used to perform a DoS attack on the server by an authenticated user.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
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. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
Already deployed Kodem?
See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
A patch has been created that further limits scripting function call limit recursion depth and disallows multiple calls to surreadb.query() to run in parallel in a scripting function.
- Versions 2.0.5, 2.1.5, 2.2.2 and later are not affected by this issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-M7RC-8W7M-R9QR? GHSA-M7RC-8W7M-R9QR is a medium-severity security vulnerability in surrealdb (rust), affecting versions >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.2. It is fixed in 2.2.2, 2.1.5, 2.0.5.
- Which versions of surrealdb are affected by GHSA-M7RC-8W7M-R9QR? surrealdb (rust) versions >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.2 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-M7RC-8W7M-R9QR? Yes. GHSA-M7RC-8W7M-R9QR is fixed in 2.2.2, 2.1.5, 2.0.5. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-M7RC-8W7M-R9QR exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-M7RC-8W7M-R9QR 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
- What actually determines whether GHSA-M7RC-8W7M-R9QR 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.
- How do I fix GHSA-M7RC-8W7M-R9QR?
- Upgrade
surrealdbto 2.2.2 or later - Upgrade
surrealdbto 2.1.5 or later - Upgrade
surrealdbto 2.0.5 or later
- Upgrade