dgraph: Insufficiently Protected Credentials
CVE-2026-40173 is a critical-severity insufficiently protected credentials vulnerability in dgraph from Dgraph-io, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.4 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected dgraph versions: < 25.3.2. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.52% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of dgraph you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- LowPerformance or availability is reduced.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
Dgraph is an open source distributed GraphQL database. Versions 25.3.1 and prior contain an unauthenticated credential disclosure vulnerability where the /debug/pprof/cmdline endpoint is registered on the default mux and reachable without authentication, exposing the full process command line including the admin token configured via the --security "token=..." startup flag. An attacker can retrieve the leaked token and reuse it in the X-Dgraph-AuthToken header to gain unauthorized access to admin-only endpoints such as /admin/config/cache_mb, bypassing the adminAuthHandler token validation. This enables unauthorized privileged administrative access including configuration changes and operational control actions in any deployment where the Alpha HTTP port is reachable by untrusted parties. This issue has been fixed in version 25.3.2.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Insufficiently Protected Credentials
The product transmits or stores authentication credentials, but it uses an insecure method that is susceptible to unauthorized interception and/or retrieval.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use an appropriate security mechanism to protect the credentials.
- Make appropriate use of cryptography to protect the credentials.
- Use industry standards to protect the credentials (e.g. LDAP, keystore, etc.).
More Insufficiently Protected Credentials vulnerabilities (CWE-522)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Patches and release notes
- github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/releases/tag/v25.3.2Release Notes
Other vulnerabilities in dgraph
- 9.2 Critical severity
- 8.6 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
Recent Insufficiently Protected Credentials vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 8.4 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
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