SurrealDB server-takeover via SurrealQL injection on backup import

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS 4.0

9.4 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H · score source

EPSS

• CVE-2025-71392: 0.44% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 38.49 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

The SurrealDB command-line tool allows exporting databases through the export command. It was discovered that table or field names are not properly sanitized in exports, leading to a SurrealQL injection when the backup is reimported. For the injection to occur, an authenticated System User with OWNER or EDITOR roles needs to create tables or fields with malicious names containing SurrealQL, subsequently exported using the export operation The attacker could achieve a privilege escalation and root level access to the SurrealDB instance if a higher privileged user subsequently performs the import operation. Furthermore, applications using SurrealDB that allow its users to define custom fields or tables are at risk of a universal second order SurrealQL injection, even if query parameters are properly sanitized. 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 Critical,…

Published by the source

11 Apr 2025, 14:07 UTC

Last modified by the source

4 Sep 2026, 19:36 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 15:43 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-ccj3-5p93-8p42

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2025-71392

Advisory: SurrealDB server-takeover via SurrealQL injection on backup import
IDs: CVE-2025-71392, GHSA-ccj3-5p93-8p42
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2025-71392 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 15:43 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.4)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: surrealdb 2.2.2, 2.1.5, 2.0.5. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- crates.io surrealdb: affected >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.2; >= 2.1.0, < 2.1.5; < 2.0.5; fixed in 2.1.5, 2.2.2, 2.0.5

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- crates.io surrealdb: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on surrealdb.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-ccj3-5p93-8p42 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-ccj3-5p93-8p42 lists affected ranges: crates.io surrealdb >=2.2.0 =2.1.0 =0 <2.0.5)

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