# CVE-2026-41492: Unauthenticated Admin Token Disclosure Leading to Authentication Bypass via /debug/vars in Dgraph

> Unauthenticated attackers can retrieve admin tokens from the /debug/vars endpoint to bypass authentication and access admin-only features in Dgraph.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Apr 2026
- **Updated:** 24 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vvf7-6rmr-m29q, GO-2026-5675

## What is CVE-2026-41492?

CVE-2026-41492 is a critical vulnerability in dgraph-io dgraph, published on 24 Apr 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Dgraph is an open source distributed GraphQL database. Prior to 25.3.3, Dgraphl exposes the process command line through the unauthenticated /debug/vars endpoint on Alpha. Because the admin token is commonly supplied via the --security "token=..." startup flag, an unauthenticated attacker can retrieve that token and replay it in the X-Dgraph-AuthToken header to access admin-only endpoints. This is a variant of the previously fixed /debug/pprof/cmdline issue, but the current fix is incomplete because it blocks only /debug/pprof/cmdline and still serves http.DefaultServeMux, which includes expvar's /debug/vars handler. This vulnerability is fixed in 25.3.3.

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-41492?

9 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph, github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v24 and github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph` | Go | All versions | None |
| `github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph` | Go | All versions to 1.2.8 | None |
| `github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph` | Go | All versions to 1.2.8 | None |
| `github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v24` | Go | All versions to 24.1.8 | None |
| `github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v24` | Go | All versions to 24.1.8 | None |
| `github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25` | Go | All versions | 25.3.3 |
| `github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25` | Go | All versions | 25.3.3 |
| `github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25` | Go | All versions | 25.3.3 |
| `github.com/hypermodeinc/dgraph/v24` | Go | All versions | 24.1.9 |

Products: Dgraph Dgraph.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-41492?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-41492 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-41492 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Dgraph <= 25.3.2 - Admin Token Disclosure (nuclei): http/cves/2026/CVE-2026-41492.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in dgraph-io dgraph

- [CVE-2026-34976](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-34976/): Dgraph Affected by Pre-Auth Database Overwrite + SSRF + File Read via restoreTenant Missing Authorization (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-40173](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40173/): Dgraph: Unauthenticated pprof endpoint leaks admin auth token (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2026-41327](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41327/): Dgraph: Pre-Auth Full Database Exfiltration via DQL Injection in Upsert Condition Field (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-41328](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41328/): Dgraph: Pre-Auth Full Database Exfiltration via DQL Injection in NQuad Lang Field (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2023-31135](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-31135/): Dgraph Audit Log Encryption nonce reuse (low 3.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-41492 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-41492 is a critical vulnerability in dgraph-io dgraph, published on 24 Apr 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-41492 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph (Go): affected all versions; no fix listed
- github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph (Go): affected all versions up to 1.2.8; no fix listed
- github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph (Go): affected all versions up to 1.2.8; no fix listed
- github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v24 (Go): affected all versions up to 24.1.8; no fix listed
- github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v24 (Go): affected all versions up to 24.1.8; no fix listed
- github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 25.3.3
- github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 25.3.3
- github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/v25 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 25.3.3
- github.com/hypermodeinc/dgraph/v24 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 24.1.9

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41492/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41492/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-41492
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-41492
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-41492

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41492/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.