CVE-2025-69255 in RustFS
Summary
by MITRE • 01/07/2026
RustFS is a distributed object storage system built in Rust. In versions 1.0.0-alpha.13 to 1.0.0-alpha.77, a malformed gRPC GetMetrics request causes get_metrics to unwrap() failed deserialization of metric_type/opts, panicking the handler thread and enabling remote denial of service of the metrics endpoint. This issue has been patched in version 1.0.0-alpha.78.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-69255 affects RustFS, a distributed object storage system implemented in the Rust programming language. This system operates as a modern storage solution designed for scalability and performance in distributed environments. The affected versions range from 1.0.0-alpha.13 through 1.0.0-alpha.77, representing a significant portion of the alpha release cycle where the software was being developed and tested for production readiness.
The technical flaw resides within the gRPC GetMetrics endpoint implementation where the system fails to properly handle malformed requests during the deserialization process. When a remote attacker sends a specially crafted gRPC request with invalid metric_type or opts parameters, the system's handling code attempts to unwrap() a failed deserialization operation. This pattern violates fundamental error handling principles in Rust where unwrapping Option or Result types that contain None or Err values causes immediate program panic. The panic occurs specifically within the metrics handler thread, causing the entire thread to crash and terminate unexpectedly.
The operational impact of this vulnerability creates a remote denial of service condition that affects the metrics endpoint of the RustFS system. Since the metrics endpoint is crucial for monitoring system performance, health, and operational status, compromising this endpoint severely impacts system observability and management capabilities. The panic behavior affects only the specific handler thread rather than the entire system, but it effectively renders the metrics service unavailable to legitimate users and monitoring tools. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-476 which describes NULL Pointer Dereference, and more specifically relates to CWE-691 which covers Insufficient Control Flow Management. The attack vector requires only a remote network connection to the gRPC endpoint, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where metrics services are exposed to external networks.
The remediation for this vulnerability involves patching the system to version 1.0.0-alpha.78, which implements proper error handling for the deserialization process. The fix should involve replacing the unwrap() operations with appropriate error handling mechanisms that gracefully process malformed inputs rather than causing program panics. Security best practices recommend implementing defensive programming techniques such as using match expressions or other safe error handling patterns when dealing with deserialization operations. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers Network Denial of Service through resource exhaustion, and T1566.002 which involves social engineering via remote services. Organizations should implement proper input validation and robust error handling protocols to prevent similar issues in other components of their distributed systems, particularly in services that expose gRPC endpoints and handle external requests.
The root cause analysis reveals that this vulnerability stems from inadequate defensive programming practices during the development phase of the RustFS system. The use of unwrap() in critical code paths without proper error handling demonstrates a common pattern where developers assume inputs will always be valid, leading to exploitable panic conditions. This issue highlights the importance of following Rust's safety principles while maintaining operational reliability in production systems. The vulnerability serves as a reminder that even in memory-safe languages like Rust, improper error handling can lead to catastrophic failures and denial of service conditions that can be easily exploited by remote attackers without requiring elevated privileges or complex attack chains.