GHSA-wjjj-24cx-f28g
HIGHSurrealDB has unauthenticated remote DoS via malformed RPC `use` call
Blast Radius
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Description
A single unauthenticated WebSocket message to /rpc crashed the SurrealDB server. Sending use { db: "x" } without first selecting a namespace hit .expect("namespace should be set") in the use handler; because surrealdb-core is built with panic = 'abort', the panic terminated the process. use is callable before signin, and the per-method capability check passes by default for guest callers — so no credentials, token, or --allow-guests flag are required.
Impact
An unauthenticated remote attacker who could reach the /rpc endpoint could crash the SurrealDB server with a single WebSocket message. No credentials, token, session knowledge, or capability are required.
Patches
A patch has been introduced that returns a typed invalid_params response when db is set on a session with no ns, replacing the panic.
- Versions 3.1.0 and later are not affected by this issue.
Workarounds
Affected users who are unable to update should restrict network access to the /rpc endpoint to trusted clients, and run SurrealDB under a process supervisor that restarts on crash.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🦀crates.io | surrealdb | all versions | 3.1.0 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for surrealdb. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update surrealdb to 3.1.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-wjjj-24cx-f28g is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether GHSA-wjjj-24cx-f28g is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-wjjj-24cx-f28g. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-wjjj-24cx-f28g in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-wjjj-24cx-f28g across crates.io dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.