---
id: CVE-2026-63755
aliases:
  - GHSA-98fx-66cf-fc7c
title: >-
  SurrealDB: Scraping a TABLE with no available PERMISSIONS to current auth
  level
summary: >-
  SurrealDB: Scraping a TABLE with no available PERMISSIONS to current auth
  level
severity: medium
cvss: 6.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'
vendor: surrealdb
product: surrealdb
ecosystem: rust
affected:
  - surrealdb < 3.1.0
patched:
  - surrealdb 3.1.0
published: '2026-07-01'
updated: '2026-09-04'
source: OSV
sourceUrl: 'https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-98fx-66cf-fc7c'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/surrealdb/surrealdb/security/advisories/GHSA-98fx-66cf-fc7c
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-63755'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/surrealdb/surrealdb/commit/500f4060349580b9cbb9c07b8112a487551c4616
  - url: 'https://github.com/surrealdb/surrealdb'
  - url: >-
      https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/surrealdb-before-permission-bypass-via-where-clause
tags:
  - osv
  - rust
epss: 0.00361
epssPercentile: 0.27095
ingestedAt: '2026-09-05T19:33:49.863Z'
---

## Overview

A vulnerability was discovered where the user-supplied `WHERE` clause in a `SELECT` statement is evaluated against the full record data before `PERMISSIONS FOR SELECT WHERE` determines whether the principal is authorised to access that record. A side-effecting expression in the `WHERE` clause can exfiltrate record contents before the permission check runs. The same ordering bug affects the `SET`, `MERGE`, `CONTENT` and `PATCH` clauses of update-variant statements (`UPDATE`, `UPSERT-update`, `INSERT ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE`, `RELATE-update`).

This vulnerability is confined to the attacker's current database. It does not cross namespace or database isolation boundaries.

### Impact

An authenticated user — including Record and Scope users — can read the full contents of any table in the database they are authenticated against, bypassing `PERMISSIONS FOR SELECT WHERE` restrictions on those tables.

The most direct exfiltration method requires scripting functions to be enabled (`--allow-scripting` / `-A`). However, exfiltration via SurrealQL's `THROW` statement is also feasible without scripting functions, and timing-based side-channel extraction is possible in all configurations.

All tables within the attacker's current database, regardless of table-level `PERMISSIONS FOR SELECT WHERE` restrictions on those tables, are vulnerable to this attack. Tables in other databases within the same namespace, or within other namespaces, are not vulnerable.

### Patches

A patch has been introduced that runs `check_permissions_table` before any user-supplied expression is evaluated against the record. A new `check_pre_update` helper centralises this ordering on every update-variant code path. Regression tests covering `WHERE`, `SET`, `MERGE`, `CONTENT`, `INSERT ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE`, and `RELATE` with `THROW` side-effects are included.

- Versions 3.1.0 and later are not affected by this issue.

### Workarounds

Affected users who are unable to update may want to:

- **Disable scripting functions** if not required — remove the `-A` / `--allow-scripting` flag. This blocks the most direct exfiltration method but does not fully mitigate the vulnerability, as `THROW`-based and timing-based exfiltration remain possible.
- **Limit query access** — restrict the ability of untrusted principals to run arbitrary `SELECT` queries with user-controlled `WHERE` clauses.
- **Use namespace/database isolation** instead of table-level permissions as the primary security boundary where feasible, since the vulnerability is in table-level permission enforcement, not namespace or database isolation.

## Affected packages

- `surrealdb < 3.1.0`

## Remediation

Upgrade to a patched release:

- `surrealdb 3.1.0`