GHSA-3633-g6mg-p6qq: Surrealdb :replace Using Regex Vulnerability

{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-3633-g6mg-p6qq",
  "modified" : "2025-04-11T14:08:03Z",
  "published" : "2025-04-11T14:08:03Z",
  "aliases" : [ ],
  "summary" : "SurrealDB memory exhaustion via string::replace using regex ",
  "details" : "An authenticated user can craft a query using the `string::replace` function that uses a Regex to perform a string replacement. As there is a failure to restrict the resulting string length, this enables an attacker to send a `string::replace` function to the SurrealDB server exhausting all the memory of the server due to string allocations. This eventually results in a Denial-of-Service situation for the SurrealDB server.\n\nThis issue was discovered and patched during an code audit and penetration test of SurrealDB by cure53. Using CVSSv4 definitions, the severity is High. \n\n### Impact\nAn authenticated user can crash the SurrealDB instance through memory exhaustion\n\n### Patches\nA patch has been created that enforces a limit on string length  `SURREAL_GENERATION_ALLOCATION_LIMIT`\n\n- Versions 2.0.5, 2.1.5, 2.2.2, and later are not affected by this issue\n\n### Workarounds\nAffected users who are unable to update may want to limit the ability of untrusted clients to run the `string::replace` function in the affected versions of SurrealDB using the `--deny-functions` flag described within [Capabilities](https://surrealdb.com/docs/surrealdb/security/capabilities#functions) or the equivalent `SURREAL_CAPS_DENY_FUNC` environment variable.\n\n### References\n\n[SurrealQL Documentation - DB Functions (string::replace)](https://surrealdb.com/docs/surrealql/functions/database/string#stringreplace)\n[SurrealDB Documentation - Capabilities](https://surrealdb.com/docs/surrealdb/security/capabilities#functions)\n[SurrealDB Documentation - Environment Variables](https://surrealdb.com/docs/surrealdb/cli/env)\n[#5619 ](https://github.com/surrealdb/surrealdb/pull/5619)\n[#5638 ](https://github.com/surrealdb/surrealdb/pull/5638)",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "crates.io",
      "name" : "surrealdb"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.2.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.2.2"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "crates.io",
      "name" : "surrealdb"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.1.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.1.5"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "crates.io",
      "name" : "surrealdb"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.0.5"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/surrealdb/surrealdb/security/advisories/GHSA-3633-g6mg-p6qq"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/surrealdb/surrealdb/pull/5619"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/surrealdb/surrealdb/pull/5638"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/surrealdb/surrealdb"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-789" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-04-11T14:08:03Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}