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

Exploitation

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

CVSS

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

EPSS

• CVE-2026-40173: 0.51% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 43.48 (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.

Summary An unauthenticated debug endpoint in Dgraph Alpha exposes the full process command line, including the configured admin token from --security "token=...". This does not break token validation logic directly; instead, it discloses the credential and enables unauthorized admin-level access by reusing the leaked token in X-Dgraph-AuthToken. Details The behavior occurs entirely within core Alpha HTTP routing and does not require any external proxy, plugin, or non-core integration. The core issue is not that admin token protection is absent, but that the protected secret is exposed in cleartext through an unauthenticated core debug endpoint. Relevant code paths: - dgraph/cmd/alpha/run.go:17 imports net/http/pprof, which registers /debug/pprof/ handlers on the default mux. - dgraph/cmd/alpha/run.go:533 uses http.Handle("/", audit.AuditRequestHttp(baseMux)), so default-mux handlers remain reachable. - dgraph/cmd/alpha/admin.go:52 enforces admin token checks in adminAuthHandler for…

Published by the source

11 Aug 2026, 20:19 UTC

Last modified by the source

11 Aug 2026, 20:33 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 15:19 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-95mq-xwj4-r47p

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GO-2026-5274

Preview the exact text before you copy it. Commands are read-only suggestions; review them before running anything.

# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-40173

Advisory: Dgraph: Unauthenticated /debug/pprof/cmdline discloses admin auth token, enabling unauthorized access to protected Alpha admin endpoints
IDs: CVE-2026-40173, GHSA-95mq-xwj4-r47p
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-40173 (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 15:19 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: Partial vendor fix; fixed versions by package: github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25 25.3.2; github.com/hypermodeinc/dgraph/v24 24.1.9. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Go github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25: affected < 25.3.2; fixed in 25.3.2
- Go github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph: affected <= 1.2.8
- Go github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v24: affected <= 24.1.7
- Go github.com/hypermodeinc/dgraph/v24: affected < 24.1.9; fixed in 24.1.9

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Go github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Go github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Go github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v24: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Go github.com/hypermodeinc/dgraph/v24: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
No complete vendor fix is recorded. Follow the primary source's mitigation guidance and check this record again before closing anything.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25, github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph, github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v24, github.com/hypermodeinc/dgraph/v24.
- 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://osv.dev/vulnerability/GO-2026-5274 (OSV record GO-2026-5274 lists affected ranges: Go github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph >=0; Go github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25 >=0 =0 <24.1.9 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-95mq-xwj4-r47p (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-95mq-xwj4-r47p lists affected ranges: Go github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25 >=0 =0 =0 <=1.2.8)

Commands are suggestions: review each one before running it.