GHSA-xq7h-vwjp-5vrh @grackle-ai/powerline Runs Without Authentication by Default
Attackers with network access can execute code and read credentials if the PowerLine gRPC server is exposed without authentication.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is GHSA-xq7h-vwjp-5vrh?
GHSA-xq7h-vwjp-5vrh is a missing authorization vulnerability in @grackle-ai/powerline, published on 25 Mar 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
Impact
When --token is not provided and GRACKLE_POWERLINE_TOKEN is not set, the PowerLine gRPC server runs with zero authentication. A warning is logged ("NO AUTH (development only)") but nothing prevents deployment in this state. Any client that can reach the PowerLine port can spawn agent sessions, access credential tokens, and execute code.
The default binding is 127.0.0.1 (loopback only), which limits exposure to the local machine. However, if PowerLine is accidentally exposed on a network (e.g., in a container or via port forwarding), the impact is critical.
Affected code:
packages/powerline/src/index.ts:46— token defaults to empty stringpackages/powerline/src/index.ts:63-76— auth interceptor is only added when token is truthy
Patches
0.70.1
Fix: Require an explicit --no-auth flag to run without authentication, rather than defaulting to no auth when the token is empty. Throw an error if starting without a token and without --no-auth.
Workarounds
Always provide --token or set GRACKLE_POWERLINE_TOKEN when starting PowerLine. The Grackle server does this automatically when managing PowerLine lifecycle.
Resources
- CWE-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function
- File:
packages/powerline/src/index.ts
Which versions are affected by GHSA-xq7h-vwjp-5vrh?
2 open source packages ship an affected version, including @grackle-ai/powerline.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
@grackle-ai/powerline npm | All versions | 0.70.1 |
@grackle-ai/powerline npm | All versions | 0.70.1 |
How do I fix GHSA-xq7h-vwjp-5vrh?
Upgrade @grackle-ai/powerline to 0.70.1 or later.
Upgrade, and check permissions on every request on the server, not only in the interface. More about Missing authorization.
Is GHSA-xq7h-vwjp-5vrh being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of GHSA-xq7h-vwjp-5vrh in the wild and no public exploit code.