GHSA-xg4h-6gfc-h4m8
etcd: Watch API authorization bypass via open-ended range requests
Blast Radius
go.etcd.io/etcd/v3🐹go.etcd.io/etcd/v3🐹go.etcd.io/etcd/v3Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Go packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Impact
What kind of vulnerability is it? Who is impacted?
A user granted READ permission on a single, exact key can use the Watch gRPC API with clientv3.WithFromKey() (an open-ended, "from this key to the end of the keyspace" watch) to receive watch events for every key lexicographically greater than or equal to their permitted key — not just the one key they were granted.
This is an authorization bypass in etcd's RBAC enforcement for the Watch API; Range/Get and DeleteRange requests are not affected. It only affects clusters with authentication enabled — clusters running without auth already allow unrestricted read access.
Patches
Has the problem been patched? What versions should users upgrade to?
This vulnerability is patched in the following versions:
- etcd 3.7.1
- etcd 3.6.14
- etcd 3.5.33
Workarounds
Is there a way for users to fix or remediate the vulnerability without upgrading?
If upgrading is not immediately possible, the following mitigations reduce exposure:
- Audit READ grants. Any READ grant — even on one key — can be leveraged via Watch to read everything after it. Review who holds READ permissions and revoke/tighten any you wouldn't trust with full read access.
- Restrict network access. Limit which hosts can reach etcd's client (gRPC) port via firewall rules or network policy, reducing who can attempt exploitation.
Reporter
- Luis Toro (@lobuhi on Github)
- Anthropic and Adam Korczynski (@AdamKorcz on Github)
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐹Go | go.etcd.io/etcd/v3 | ≥ 3.7.0-alpha.0&&< 3.7.1 | 3.7.1 |
| 🐹Go | go.etcd.io/etcd/v3 | ≥ 3.6.0&&< 3.6.14 | 3.6.14 |
| 🐹Go | go.etcd.io/etcd/v3 | all versions | 3.5.33 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for go.etcd.io/etcd/v3. 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 go.etcd.io/etcd/v3 to 3.7.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-xg4h-6gfc-h4m8 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-xg4h-6gfc-h4m8 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-xg4h-6gfc-h4m8. 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-xg4h-6gfc-h4m8 in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-xg4h-6gfc-h4m8 across Go dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.