GHSA-WP87-MGVQ-5J93

An anonymous caller could create new namespaces and databases on a running SurrealDB instance without holding DEFINE NAMESPACE or DEFINE DATABASE permission.

USE NS <name> and USE DB <name> automatically create the target when it does not exist. The three places USE is handled, the RPC use method, Datastore::process_use, and the SurrealQL executor, did not check whether the caller was allowed to create the resource. Under default capabilities any session reached this path, including an unauthenticated guest.

Workarounds

• Set --deny-arbitrary-query * for guest principals to remove the entry point.
• Run with --auth and require all callers to signin before issuing use.
• Revoke namespace-level tokens promptly when a namespace is dropped.

What an attacker can do:

• Create new namespaces and databases without DEFINE NAMESPACE / DEFINE DATABASE permission. An unauthenticated guest is enough under default capabilities.
• Recreate a parent namespace that an operator deliberately dropped, using a stale namespace-Editor token, by running USE NS <dropped> DB anything.
• Exhaust catalog storage by repeatedly creating new resources.

What it can't do:

• Read or modify data inside any pre-existing namespace or database.
• Escalate to root or namespace-owner privileges on existing resources.
• Affect deployments running with auth_enabled=false.

The application does not perform an authorization check before performing a sensitive operation. Typical impact: unauthorized access to restricted functionality or data.

GHSA-WP87-MGVQ-5J93 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no 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

All three USE entry points now check whether the caller has DEFINE NAMESPACE / DEFINE DATABASE authority before creating a missing target. Sessions still update their context regardless of authorization, so SDKs that send use before signin continue to work, only the catalog creation step is gated. The parent-namespace side-effect path is closed by the same check.

Versions 3.1.0 and later are not affected.

1. What is GHSA-WP87-MGVQ-5J93? GHSA-WP87-MGVQ-5J93 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in surrealdb (rust), affecting versions < 3.1.0. It is fixed in 3.1.0. The application does not perform an authorization check before performing a sensitive operation.
2. How severe is GHSA-WP87-MGVQ-5J93? GHSA-WP87-MGVQ-5J93 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (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-WP87-MGVQ-5J93? surrealdb (rust) versions < 3.1.0 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for GHSA-WP87-MGVQ-5J93? Yes. GHSA-WP87-MGVQ-5J93 is fixed in 3.1.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is GHSA-WP87-MGVQ-5J93 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-WP87-MGVQ-5J93 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-WP87-MGVQ-5J93 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-WP87-MGVQ-5J93? Upgrade surrealdb to 3.1.0 or later.