CVE-2026-34976: Dgraph: Pre-Auth Database Overwrite + SSRF + File Read via restoreTenant Missing Authorization

Should you act?

Critical and remotely reachable

No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.

• Not in CISA KEV, but CISA’s SSVC assessment records a public proof-of-concept, so attack code exists.
• EPSS 1.7%, percentile 76: FIRST’s model estimates a 1.7% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 76% of all scored CVEs (moderate). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
• Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
• Only applies if your dependency tree includes github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25 (Go) <= 25.3.0, fixed in 25.3.1; github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v24 (Go) <= 24.0.5, no fixed version listed; github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph (Go) <= 1.2.8, no fixed version listed. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

What it is

Dgraph is an open source distributed GraphQL database. Prior to 25.3.1, the restoreTenant admin mutation is missing from the authorization middleware config (admin.go), making it completely unauthenticated. Unlike the similar restore mutation which requires Guardian-of-Galaxy authentication, restoreTenant executes with zero middleware. This mutation accepts attacker-controlled backup source URLs (including file:// for local filesystem access), S3/MinIO credentials, encryption key file paths, and Vault credential file paths. An unauthenticated attacker can overwrite the entire database, read server-side files, and perform SSRF. This vulnerability is fixed in 25.3.1.

From the GitHub advisory

The restoreTenant admin mutation is missing from the authorization middleware config (admin.go:499-522), making it completely unauthenticated. Unlike the similar restore mutation which requires Guardian-of-Galaxy authentication, restoreTenant executes with zero middleware.

This mutation accepts attacker-controlled backup source URLs (including file:// for local filesystem access), S3/MinIO credentials, encryption key file paths, and Vault credential file paths. An unauthenticated attacker can overwrite the entire database, read server-side files, and perform SSRF.

Authentication Bypass

Every admin mutation has middleware configured in adminMutationMWConfig (admin.go:499-522) EXCEPT restoreTenant. The restore mutation has gogMutMWs (Guardian of Galaxy auth + IP whitelist + logging). restoreTenant is absent from the map.

When middleware is looked up at resolve/resolver.go:431, the map returns nil. The Then() method at resolve/middlewares.go:98 checks len(mws) == 0 and returns the resolver directly, skipping all authentication, authorization, IP whitelisting, and audit logging.

Weakness type: CWE-862.

Product: github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25 (Go) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2026-04-06

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
• Attack complexity: low
• Privileges required: none (no login)
• User interaction: none
• Scope: changed (can affect other components)

CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.

Exploitation and urgency

• CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
• CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation poc, automatable yes, technical impact total.
• FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 1.65% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 76.

Timeline

• 2026-04-02 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-p5rh-vmhp-gvcw published (critical)
• 2026-04-06 — CVE record published by GitHub_M
• 2026-04-07 — CVE record last updated

Sources and references

Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.

Vulnerability records

1. GitHub Advisory GHSA-p5rh-vmhp-gvcw github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2026-34976 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2026-34976 nvd.nist.gov

Other references from the CVE record and advisory

1. github.com github.com
2. github.com github.com
3. github.com github.com

Critical Go advisories · Today’s Security Digest