CVE-2025-71396

SurrealDB before 2.0.5, 2.1.x before 2.1.5, and 2.2.x before 2.2.2 does not enforce a default execution-time limit on embedded JavaScript scripting functions when the scripting capability is explicitly enabled (via --allow-scripting or --allow-all). An authenticated attacker can submit long-running JavaScript functions to exhaust server resources and cause a denial of service. Scripting is disabled by default.

SurrealDB before 2.0.5, 2.1.x before 2.1.5, and 2.2.x before 2.2.2 does not enforce a default execution-time limit on embedded JavaScript scripting functions when the scripting capability is explicitly enabled (via --allow-scripting or --allow-all). An authenticated attacker can submit long-running JavaScript functions to exhaust server resources and cause a denial of service. Scripting is disabled by default.

Through enabling the scripting capability. SurrealDB allows for advanced functions with complicated logic, by allowing embedded functions to be written in JavaScript.

These functions are bounded for memory and stack size, but not in time. An attacker could launch a number of long running functions that could potentially facilitate a Denial Of Service attack.

This vulnerability can only affect SurrealDB servers explicitly enabling the scripting capability with --allow-scripting or --allow-all and equivalent environment variables SURREAL_CAPS_ALLOW_SCRIPT=true and SURREAL_CAPS_ALLOW_ALL=true.

This issue was discovered and patched during an code audit and penetration test of SurrealDB by cure53, the severity defined within cure53's preliminary finding is Low, matched by our CVSS v4 assessment.

Impact

An attacker can use the scripting capabilities of SurrealDB to run a series of long running functions to facilitate a Denial Of Service attack.

Patches

A default timeout for the scripting functions has been implemented with a configurable SURREAL_SCRIPTING_MAX_TIME_LIMIT environment variable

• Versions 2.0.5, 2.1.5, 2.2.2 and later are not affected by this issue.

Workarounds

For users that cannot upgrade. Deny execution of embedded scripting functions through the configuration of capabilities by starting SurrealDB with the --deny-scripting flag or the equivalent environment variable SURREAL_CAPS_DENY_SCRIPT=true. This has a usability implication, although scripting functions are disabled by default.

References

5597 SurrealDB Documentation - Capabilities SurrealQL Documentation - Scripting Functions

Duplicate Advisory

This advisory has been withdrawn because it is a duplicate of GHSA-3824-qmfq-2qv7. This link is maintained to preserve external references.

Original Description

SurrealDB before 2.0.5, 2.1.x before 2.1.5, and 2.2.x before 2.2.2 does not enforce a default execution-time limit on embedded JavaScript scripting functions when the scripting capability is explicitly enabled (via --allow-scripting or --allow-all). An authenticated attacker can submit long-running JavaScript functions to exhaust server resources and cause a denial of service. Scripting is disabled by default.

SurrealDB before 2.0.5, 2.1.x before 2.1.5, and 2.2.x before 2.2.2 does not enforce a default execution-time limit on embedded JavaScript scripting functions when the scripting capability is explicitly enabled (via --allow-scripting or --allow-all). An authenticated attacker can submit long-running JavaScript functions to exhaust server resources and cause a denial of service. Scripting is disabled by default.

SurrealDB before 2.0.5, 2.1.x before 2.1.5, and 2.2.x before 2.2.2 does not enforce a default execution-time limit on embedded JavaScript scripting functions when the scripting capability is explicitly enabled (via --allow-scripting or --allow-all). An authenticated attacker can submit long-running JavaScript functions to exhaust server resources and cause a denial of service. Scripting is disabled by default.

Through enabling the scripting capability. SurrealDB allows for advanced functions with complicated logic, by allowing embedded functions to be written in JavaScript.

These functions are bounded for memory and stack size, but not in time. An attacker could launch a number of long running functions that could potentially facilitate a Denial Of Service attack.

This vulnerability can only affect SurrealDB servers explicitly enabling the scripting capability with --allow-scripting or --allow-all and equivalent environment variables SURREAL_CAPS_ALLOW_SCRIPT=true and SURREAL_CAPS_ALLOW_ALL=true.

This issue was discovered and patched during an code audit and penetration test of SurrealDB by cure53, the severity defined within cure53's preliminary finding is Low, matched by our CVSS v4 assessment.

Impact

An attacker can use the scripting capabilities of SurrealDB to run a series of long running functions to facilitate a Denial Of Service attack.

Patches

A default timeout for the scripting functions has been implemented with a configurable SURREAL_SCRIPTING_MAX_TIME_LIMIT environment variable

• Versions 2.0.5, 2.1.5, 2.2.2 and later are not affected by this issue.

Workarounds

For users that cannot upgrade. Deny execution of embedded scripting functions through the configuration of capabilities by starting SurrealDB with the --deny-scripting flag or the equivalent environment variable SURREAL_CAPS_DENY_SCRIPT=true. This has a usability implication, although scripting functions are disabled by default.

References

5597 SurrealDB Documentation - Capabilities SurrealQL Documentation - Scripting Functions

Duplicate Advisory

This advisory has been withdrawn because it is a duplicate of GHSA-3824-qmfq-2qv7. This link is maintained to preserve external references.

Original Description

SurrealDB before 2.0.5, 2.1.x before 2.1.5, and 2.2.x before 2.2.2 does not enforce a default execution-time limit on embedded JavaScript scripting functions when the scripting capability is explicitly enabled (via --allow-scripting or --allow-all). An authenticated attacker can submit long-running JavaScript functions to exhaust server resources and cause a denial of service. Scripting is disabled by default.