CVE-2023-29193 json
SpiceDB binding metrics port to untrusted networks and can leak command-line flags
published 2023-04-13 3 y ago modified 2026-09-10 1 mo ago also GHSA-cjr9-mr35-7xh6 , GO-2023-1723 , EUVD-2023-1271
- cvss
- 8.7
- version 3.1, CNA
- cisa kev
- Not listed
- not in CISA's catalog
- epss
- 0.8%
- EPSS 0.8% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 55%
- public exploits
- 0
- none known
Summary
SpiceDB is an open source, Google Zanzibar-inspired, database system for creating and managing security-critical application permissions. The `spicedb serve` command contains a flag named `--grpc-preshared-key` which is used to protect the gRPC API from being accessed by unauthorized requests. The values of this flag are to be considered sensitive, secret data. The `/debug/pprof/cmdline` endpoint served by the metrics service (defaulting running on port `9090`) reveals the command-line flags provided for debugging purposes. If a password is set via the `--grpc-preshared-key` then the key is revealed by this endpoint along with any other flags provided to the SpiceDB binary. This issue has been fixed in version 1.19.1.
### Impact
All deployments abiding by the recommended best practices for production usage are **NOT affected**: - Authzed's SpiceDB Serverless - Authzed's SpiceDB Dedicated - SpiceDB Operator
Users configuring SpiceDB via environment variables are **NOT affected**.
Users **MAY be affected** if they expose their metrics port to an untrusted network and are configuring `--grpc-preshared-key` via command-line flag.
### Patches
TODO
### Workarounds
To workaround this issue you can do one of the following:
- Configure the preshared key via an environment variable (e.g. `SPICEDB_GRPC_PRESHARED_KEY=yoursecret spicedb serve`) - Reconfigure the `--metrics-addr` flag to bind to a trusted network (e.g. `--metrics-addr=localhost:9090`) - Disable the metrics service via the flag (e.g. `--metrics-enabled=false`) - Adopt one of the recommended deployment models: [Authzed's managed services](https://authzed.com/pricing) or the [SpiceDB Operator](https://github.com/authzed/spicedb-operator)
### References
- [GitHub Security Advisory issued for SpiceDB](https://github.com/authzed/spicedb/security/advisories/GHSA-cjr9-mr35-7xh6) - [Go issue #22085](https://github.com/golang/go/issues/22085) for documenting the risks of exposing pprof to the internet - [Go issue #42834](https://github.com/golang/go/issues/42834) discusses preventing pprof registration to the default serve mux - [semgrep rule go.lang.security.audit.net.pprof.pprof-debug-exposure](https://semgrep.dev/r?q=go.lang.security.audit.net.pprof) checks for a variation of this issue
### Credit
We'd like to thank Amit Laish, a security researcher at GE Vernova for responsibly disclosing this vulnerability.
Patch / fix
- go github.com/authzed/spicedb 1.19.1
- authzed spicedb 1.19.1
CISA SSVC
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
- Assessed
- 21 mo ago
Exploit prediction
0.76% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 55% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).
CVSS scores
| assigned by | version | score | vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | 3.1 | 8.7 | CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N |
| NVD | 3.1 | 7.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N |
| GitHub | 3.1 | 8.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N |
Affected packages
| ecosystem | package | affected | fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| go | github.com/authzed/spicedb | <1.19.1 |
1.19.1 |
Affected products
- authzed spicedb
Classification
- Weakness
-
- CWE-209 Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information
References
-
github.com
/authzed/spicedb/commit/9bbd7d76b6eaba33fe0236014f9b175d21232999
web, patch
-
github.com
/authzed/spicedb/security/advisories/GHSA-cjr9-mr35-7xh6
web, vendor-advisory, advisory
-
github.com
/authzed/spicedb/releases/tag/v1.19.1
web, release-notes, vendor-advisory
-
nvd.nist.gov
/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-29193
advisory
-
github.com
/authzed/spicedb
package
Sources
- CVE List CVE-2023-29193
- GitHub Advisory GHSA-cjr9-mr35-7xh6
- NVD CVE-2023-29193
- OSV GO-2023-1723
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