Summary
@grackle-ai/powerline Runs Without Authentication by Default
Workarounds
Always provide --token or set GRACKLE_POWERLINE_TOKEN when starting PowerLine. The Grackle server does this automatically when managing PowerLine lifecycle.
Resources
- CWE-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function
- File:
packages/powerline/src/index.ts
Impact
When --token is not provided and GRACKLE_POWERLINE_TOKEN is not set, the PowerLine gRPC server runs with zero authentication. A warning is logged ("NO AUTH (development only)") but nothing prevents deployment in this state. Any client that can reach the PowerLine port can spawn agent sessions, access credential tokens, and execute code.
The default binding is 127.0.0.1 (loopback only), which limits exposure to the local machine. However, if PowerLine is accidentally exposed on a network (e.g., in a container or via port forwarding), the impact is critical.
Affected code:
packages/powerline/src/index.ts:46, token defaults to empty stringpackages/powerline/src/index.ts:63-76, auth interceptor is only added when token is truthy
A critical operation is accessible without requiring any authentication. Typical impact: any user can invoke the privileged function.
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
0.70.1
Fix: Require an explicit --no-auth flag to run without authentication, rather than defaulting to no auth when the token is empty. Throw an error if starting without a token and without --no-auth.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-XQ7H-VWJP-5VRH? GHSA-XQ7H-VWJP-5VRH is a medium-severity missing authentication for critical function vulnerability in @grackle-ai/powerline (npm), affecting versions <= 0.70.0. It is fixed in 0.70.1. A critical operation is accessible without requiring any authentication.
- Which versions of @grackle-ai/powerline are affected by GHSA-XQ7H-VWJP-5VRH? @grackle-ai/powerline (npm) versions <= 0.70.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-XQ7H-VWJP-5VRH? Yes. GHSA-XQ7H-VWJP-5VRH is fixed in 0.70.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-XQ7H-VWJP-5VRH exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-XQ7H-VWJP-5VRH 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-XQ7H-VWJP-5VRH 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-XQ7H-VWJP-5VRH? Upgrade
@grackle-ai/powerlineto 0.70.1 or later.