CVE-2026-63748 in SurrealDB
Summary
by MITRE • 07/20/2026
SurrealDB versions before 3.1.0 contain an information disclosure vulnerability where authenticated users with UPDATE access can read field values hidden by field-level SELECT permissions through error messages. Attackers can trigger arithmetic or extend operations on hidden fields to embed raw operand values in error responses, bypassing field-level access controls.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2026
This vulnerability exists within SurrealDB versions prior to 3.1.0 and represents a significant information disclosure flaw that undermines the database's field-level access control mechanisms. The weakness stems from how the system handles error reporting when authenticated users with UPDATE privileges attempt operations on fields protected by SELECT permissions. When attackers trigger arithmetic or extend operations on these hidden fields, the system inadvertently exposes raw operand values through error messages, effectively bypassing the intended access controls that should prevent reading field contents.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability leverages the database's error handling mechanisms to extract sensitive information from fields that should remain protected. When authenticated users perform operations such as arithmetic calculations or data extension on fields restricted by SELECT permissions, the system generates error messages containing raw operand values. This occurs because SurrealDB does not properly sanitize error responses to prevent exposure of underlying field data during operation failures. The flaw specifically affects the interaction between UPDATE permissions and SELECT restrictions, creating a pathway for unauthorized data extraction through carefully crafted operations that trigger error conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it allows attackers with minimal privileges to access sensitive data that should be protected by field-level access controls. An authenticated user with UPDATE permissions can exploit this weakness to discover the contents of fields that are normally restricted from reading, potentially exposing confidential information through error message contents. This represents a privilege escalation scenario where users gain unauthorized access to data beyond their intended access levels, undermining the fundamental security model of field-level permissions that should prevent such information disclosure. The vulnerability affects all authenticated users who possess UPDATE privileges on affected tables, making it particularly concerning for systems with granular access control requirements.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-209 which describes "Information Exposure Through Error Message" and represents a specific implementation flaw in how SurrealDB handles error reporting for restricted field operations. The attack pattern follows techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under T1211 - "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and T1566 - "Phishing with Social Engineering". Organizations using SurrealDB should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to version 3.1.0 or later where this vulnerability has been addressed, implementing additional logging to monitor for suspicious operations on restricted fields, and reviewing field-level access control policies to minimize potential exposure. The fix typically involves modifying error handling routines to prevent raw operand values from appearing in error messages during restricted field operations while maintaining proper validation of user permissions.