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SurrealDB has unauthenticated remote DoS via malformed RPC `use` call

High severity GitHub Reviewed Published May 27, 2026 in surrealdb/surrealdb • Updated Jul 1, 2026

Package

cargo surrealdb (Rust)

Affected versions

< 3.1.0

Patched versions

3.1.0

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.

References

@rowan-baker rowan-baker published to surrealdb/surrealdb May 27, 2026
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Jul 1, 2026
Reviewed Jul 1, 2026
Last updated Jul 1, 2026

Severity

High

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS score

Weaknesses

Uncaught Exception

An exception is thrown from a function, but it is not caught. Learn more on MITRE.

Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions

The product does not check or incorrectly checks for unusual or exceptional conditions that are not expected to occur frequently during day to day operation of the product. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

No known CVE

GHSA ID

GHSA-wjjj-24cx-f28g

Source code

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