GHSA-Q8QP-67F9-WR3F
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-07-01 20:05 – Updated: 2026-07-01 20:05The SurrealDB type/kind parser did not enforce the configured recursion depth limit when parsing nested type annotations. The expression parser already enforced the limit for analogous constructs; the kind parser omitted it. An authenticated attacker could send a query with deeply nested type annotations (e.g., array<option<array<option<...>>>>) and exhaust server memory, crashing the process.
This is an incomplete fix for GHSA-6r8p-hpg7-825g, which addressed the same class of bug in the expression parser but did not cover the kind/type annotation parser code path.
Impact
An authenticated user with query execution privileges can crash a SurrealDB server with a single WebSocket message containing deeply nested type annotations.
Patches
A patch has been introduced that wraps parse_concrete_kind and the OPTION<...> arm of parse_inner_kind with enter_object_recursion!, bounding the recursive cycle parse_concrete_kind → parse_inner_kind → parse_inner_single_kind → parse_concrete_kind at the configured object_recursion_limit (default 100). Regression tests cover both cast and DEFINE FIELD paths.
- Versions 3.1.0 and later are not affected by this issue.
Workarounds
Restrict the ability of untrusted users to execute arbitrary queries via the --deny-arbitrary-query capability flag for the affected user classes (guest, record, or system). Disabling untrusted access to the WebSocket /rpc endpoint also prevents exploitation; the HTTP /sql endpoint's 1 MiB body limit constrains nesting to a depth where OOM is not feasible.
{
"affected": [
{
"package": {
"ecosystem": "crates.io",
"name": "surrealdb"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "0"
},
{
"fixed": "3.1.0"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
]
}
],
"aliases": [],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-674"
],
"github_reviewed": true,
"github_reviewed_at": "2026-07-01T20:05:14Z",
"nvd_published_at": null,
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "The SurrealDB type/kind parser did not enforce the configured recursion depth limit when parsing nested type annotations. The expression parser already enforced the limit for analogous constructs; the kind parser omitted it. An authenticated attacker could send a query with deeply nested type annotations (e.g., `array\u003coption\u003carray\u003coption\u003c...\u003e\u003e\u003e\u003e`) and exhaust server memory, crashing the process.\n\nThis is an incomplete fix for [GHSA-6r8p-hpg7-825g](https://github.com/surrealdb/surrealdb/security/advisories/GHSA-6r8p-hpg7-825g), which addressed the same class of bug in the expression parser but did not cover the kind/type annotation parser code path.\n\n### Impact\n\nAn authenticated user with query execution privileges can crash a SurrealDB server with a single WebSocket message containing deeply nested type annotations.\n\n### Patches\n\nA patch has been introduced that wraps `parse_concrete_kind` and the `OPTION\u003c...\u003e` arm of `parse_inner_kind` with `enter_object_recursion!`, bounding the recursive cycle `parse_concrete_kind \u2192 parse_inner_kind \u2192 parse_inner_single_kind \u2192 parse_concrete_kind` at the configured `object_recursion_limit` (default 100). Regression tests cover both cast and `DEFINE FIELD` paths.\n\n- Versions 3.1.0 and later are not affected by this issue.\n\n### Workarounds\n\nRestrict the ability of untrusted users to execute arbitrary queries via the `--deny-arbitrary-query` capability flag for the affected user classes (guest, record, or system). Disabling untrusted access to the WebSocket `/rpc` endpoint also prevents exploitation; the HTTP `/sql` endpoint\u0027s 1 MiB body limit constrains nesting to a depth where OOM is not feasible.",
"id": "GHSA-q8qp-67f9-wr3f",
"modified": "2026-07-01T20:05:14Z",
"published": "2026-07-01T20:05:14Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/surrealdb/surrealdb/security/advisories/GHSA-q8qp-67f9-wr3f"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/surrealdb/surrealdb/commit/61d509b766afdf67cc26d8203fd7dc583c8d77aa"
},
{
"type": "PACKAGE",
"url": "https://github.com/surrealdb/surrealdb"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
],
"summary": "SurrealDB vulnerable to Denial of Service due to nested types annotations"
}
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date | Other |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.