Description
An authenticated user with permission to create or edit alert rules can bypass datasource query authorization by marking an alert rule query as a server-side expression while referencing a real datasource UID (incorrect authorization). This can expose data accessible through Grafana's configured datasource credentials to users who lack permission to query that datasource.
Published: 2026-08-19
Score: 7.1 High
EPSS: n/a
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

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Remediation

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History

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Summary An authenticated organization user who can create or edit alert rules in a folder can query a datasource for which they do not have datasources:query permission. The attacker sets the client-controlled query field queryType to __expr__ while retaining the UID of a real datasource. The alert-rule authorization path treats the query as a server-side expression and skips datasource permission enforcement, while the evaluator subsequently resolves and executes the query against the real datasource identified by datasourceUid. ## Impact This bypass can expose data accessible through Grafana's configured datasource credentials to a low-privileged user who is not authorized to query that datasource directly. Confidentiality impact is High. Integrity impact is Low because some datasource backends and configured credentials may permit state-changing queries. No availability impact has been demonstrated. ## Attack prerequisites - Authenticated, low-privileged user in the same Grafana organization - Permission to create or edit alert rules in an accessible folder - No datasources:query permission for the targeted datasource - Knowledge or discovery of the targeted datasource UID - No user interaction required ## Technical details / root cause 1. The attacker submits an alert-rule query with queryType: "__expr__" and the UID of a real datasource. 2. The datasource authorization helper skips permission enforcement when query.QueryType == "__expr__". 3. queryType is client-controlled and is not validated against the referenced datasource. 4. During evaluation, Grafana selects and loads the actual datasource using DatasourceUID, not the spoofed queryType. 5. The query therefore executes using Grafana's datasource credentials despite the caller lacking datasources:query. The root cause is inconsistent query classification between authorization and execution: authorization trusts queryType, while execution trusts DatasourceUID. ## Affected product / component - Product: Grafana OSS - Component: Unified Alerting / ngalert - Area: Alert-rule datasource authorization and query evaluation - Confirmed version: Grafana OSS 13.0.1 - Affected version range: not yet assessed CVSS Scope is Unchanged because the vulnerable authorization decision and resulting impact remain within Grafana's security authority. ## Source - Researcher: czarflix ## Related report / duplicate assessment This is a default-Grafana-OSS reproduction of the root cause previously reported in GRAFANALABS-IAQAFIXI. The earlier submission was archived as Not Applicable because its proof of concept depended on Cloud/Enterprise-specific permission mechanisms, and the researcher was invited to demonstrate the issue under default OSS permissions. This report establishes that missing prerequisite and should be treated as the actionable OSS submission, not dismissed as a duplicate. VUL-2026-0095 and VUL-2026-0126 concern Enterprise Recorded Queries and have different components, endpoints, and root causes; they are related authorization issues but not duplicates. ## Recommended remediation - Do not exempt a query from datasource authorization based solely on client-controlled queryType. - Resolve the referenced datasource server-side before authorization and apply datasources:query whenever the resolved UID represents a real datasource. - Require expression queries to reference only the canonical server-side expression datasource and reject mismatches such as queryType: "__expr__" paired with a real datasource UID. - Ensure authorization and evaluation use the same canonical datasource identity and fail closed when fields conflict. - Add regression coverage for an OSS user with folder-level alert-rule edit permission but without datasource query permission, including mismatched queryType and datasourceUid values. An authenticated user with permission to create or edit alert rules can bypass datasource query authorization by marking an alert rule query as a server-side expression while referencing a real datasource UID (incorrect authorization). This can expose data accessible through Grafana's configured datasource credentials to users who lack permission to query that datasource.
References

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Summary An authenticated organization user who can create or edit alert rules in a folder can query a datasource for which they do not have datasources:query permission. The attacker sets the client-controlled query field queryType to __expr__ while retaining the UID of a real datasource. The alert-rule authorization path treats the query as a server-side expression and skips datasource permission enforcement, while the evaluator subsequently resolves and executes the query against the real datasource identified by datasourceUid. ## Impact This bypass can expose data accessible through Grafana's configured datasource credentials to a low-privileged user who is not authorized to query that datasource directly. Confidentiality impact is High. Integrity impact is Low because some datasource backends and configured credentials may permit state-changing queries. No availability impact has been demonstrated. ## Attack prerequisites - Authenticated, low-privileged user in the same Grafana organization - Permission to create or edit alert rules in an accessible folder - No datasources:query permission for the targeted datasource - Knowledge or discovery of the targeted datasource UID - No user interaction required ## Technical details / root cause 1. The attacker submits an alert-rule query with queryType: "__expr__" and the UID of a real datasource. 2. The datasource authorization helper skips permission enforcement when query.QueryType == "__expr__". 3. queryType is client-controlled and is not validated against the referenced datasource. 4. During evaluation, Grafana selects and loads the actual datasource using DatasourceUID, not the spoofed queryType. 5. The query therefore executes using Grafana's datasource credentials despite the caller lacking datasources:query. The root cause is inconsistent query classification between authorization and execution: authorization trusts queryType, while execution trusts DatasourceUID. ## Affected product / component - Product: Grafana OSS - Component: Unified Alerting / ngalert - Area: Alert-rule datasource authorization and query evaluation - Confirmed version: Grafana OSS 13.0.1 - Affected version range: not yet assessed ## Severity - CVSS 3.1: 7.1 High - Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N - CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization Scope is Unchanged because the vulnerable authorization decision and resulting impact remain within Grafana's security authority. ## Source - Researcher: czarflix - Intigriti report: GRAFANALABS-F996ATD7 - Report URL: https://app.intigriti.com/company/submissions/GRAFANALABS-F996ATD7 ## Related report / duplicate assessment This is a default-Grafana-OSS reproduction of the root cause previously reported in GRAFANALABS-IAQAFIXI. The earlier submission was archived as Not Applicable because its proof of concept depended on Cloud/Enterprise-specific permission mechanisms, and the researcher was invited to demonstrate the issue under default OSS permissions. This report establishes that missing prerequisite and should be treated as the actionable OSS submission, not dismissed as a duplicate. VUL-2026-0095 and VUL-2026-0126 concern Enterprise Recorded Queries and have different components, endpoints, and root causes; they are related authorization issues but not duplicates. ## Recommended remediation - Do not exempt a query from datasource authorization based solely on client-controlled queryType. - Resolve the referenced datasource server-side before authorization and apply datasources:query whenever the resolved UID represents a real datasource. - Require expression queries to reference only the canonical server-side expression datasource and reject mismatches such as queryType: "__expr__" paired with a real datasource UID. - Ensure authorization and evaluation use the same canonical datasource identity and fail closed when fields conflict. - Add regression coverage for an OSS user with folder-level alert-rule edit permission but without datasource query permission, including mismatched queryType and datasourceUid values. Summary An authenticated organization user who can create or edit alert rules in a folder can query a datasource for which they do not have datasources:query permission. The attacker sets the client-controlled query field queryType to __expr__ while retaining the UID of a real datasource. The alert-rule authorization path treats the query as a server-side expression and skips datasource permission enforcement, while the evaluator subsequently resolves and executes the query against the real datasource identified by datasourceUid. ## Impact This bypass can expose data accessible through Grafana's configured datasource credentials to a low-privileged user who is not authorized to query that datasource directly. Confidentiality impact is High. Integrity impact is Low because some datasource backends and configured credentials may permit state-changing queries. No availability impact has been demonstrated. ## Attack prerequisites - Authenticated, low-privileged user in the same Grafana organization - Permission to create or edit alert rules in an accessible folder - No datasources:query permission for the targeted datasource - Knowledge or discovery of the targeted datasource UID - No user interaction required ## Technical details / root cause 1. The attacker submits an alert-rule query with queryType: "__expr__" and the UID of a real datasource. 2. The datasource authorization helper skips permission enforcement when query.QueryType == "__expr__". 3. queryType is client-controlled and is not validated against the referenced datasource. 4. During evaluation, Grafana selects and loads the actual datasource using DatasourceUID, not the spoofed queryType. 5. The query therefore executes using Grafana's datasource credentials despite the caller lacking datasources:query. The root cause is inconsistent query classification between authorization and execution: authorization trusts queryType, while execution trusts DatasourceUID. ## Affected product / component - Product: Grafana OSS - Component: Unified Alerting / ngalert - Area: Alert-rule datasource authorization and query evaluation - Confirmed version: Grafana OSS 13.0.1 - Affected version range: not yet assessed CVSS Scope is Unchanged because the vulnerable authorization decision and resulting impact remain within Grafana's security authority. ## Source - Researcher: czarflix ## Related report / duplicate assessment This is a default-Grafana-OSS reproduction of the root cause previously reported in GRAFANALABS-IAQAFIXI. The earlier submission was archived as Not Applicable because its proof of concept depended on Cloud/Enterprise-specific permission mechanisms, and the researcher was invited to demonstrate the issue under default OSS permissions. This report establishes that missing prerequisite and should be treated as the actionable OSS submission, not dismissed as a duplicate. VUL-2026-0095 and VUL-2026-0126 concern Enterprise Recorded Queries and have different components, endpoints, and root causes; they are related authorization issues but not duplicates. ## Recommended remediation - Do not exempt a query from datasource authorization based solely on client-controlled queryType. - Resolve the referenced datasource server-side before authorization and apply datasources:query whenever the resolved UID represents a real datasource. - Require expression queries to reference only the canonical server-side expression datasource and reject mismatches such as queryType: "__expr__" paired with a real datasource UID. - Ensure authorization and evaluation use the same canonical datasource identity and fail closed when fields conflict. - Add regression coverage for an OSS user with folder-level alert-rule edit permission but without datasource query permission, including mismatched queryType and datasourceUid values.
References

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 17:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Summary An authenticated organization user who can create or edit alert rules in a folder can query a datasource for which they do not have datasources:query permission. The attacker sets the client-controlled query field queryType to __expr__ while retaining the UID of a real datasource. The alert-rule authorization path treats the query as a server-side expression and skips datasource permission enforcement, while the evaluator subsequently resolves and executes the query against the real datasource identified by datasourceUid. ## Impact This bypass can expose data accessible through Grafana's configured datasource credentials to a low-privileged user who is not authorized to query that datasource directly. Confidentiality impact is High. Integrity impact is Low because some datasource backends and configured credentials may permit state-changing queries. No availability impact has been demonstrated. ## Attack prerequisites - Authenticated, low-privileged user in the same Grafana organization - Permission to create or edit alert rules in an accessible folder - No datasources:query permission for the targeted datasource - Knowledge or discovery of the targeted datasource UID - No user interaction required ## Technical details / root cause 1. The attacker submits an alert-rule query with queryType: "__expr__" and the UID of a real datasource. 2. The datasource authorization helper skips permission enforcement when query.QueryType == "__expr__". 3. queryType is client-controlled and is not validated against the referenced datasource. 4. During evaluation, Grafana selects and loads the actual datasource using DatasourceUID, not the spoofed queryType. 5. The query therefore executes using Grafana's datasource credentials despite the caller lacking datasources:query. The root cause is inconsistent query classification between authorization and execution: authorization trusts queryType, while execution trusts DatasourceUID. ## Affected product / component - Product: Grafana OSS - Component: Unified Alerting / ngalert - Area: Alert-rule datasource authorization and query evaluation - Confirmed version: Grafana OSS 13.0.1 - Affected version range: not yet assessed ## Severity - CVSS 3.1: 7.1 High - Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N - CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization Scope is Unchanged because the vulnerable authorization decision and resulting impact remain within Grafana's security authority. ## Source - Researcher: czarflix - Intigriti report: GRAFANALABS-F996ATD7 - Report URL: https://app.intigriti.com/company/submissions/GRAFANALABS-F996ATD7 ## Related report / duplicate assessment This is a default-Grafana-OSS reproduction of the root cause previously reported in GRAFANALABS-IAQAFIXI. The earlier submission was archived as Not Applicable because its proof of concept depended on Cloud/Enterprise-specific permission mechanisms, and the researcher was invited to demonstrate the issue under default OSS permissions. This report establishes that missing prerequisite and should be treated as the actionable OSS submission, not dismissed as a duplicate. VUL-2026-0095 and VUL-2026-0126 concern Enterprise Recorded Queries and have different components, endpoints, and root causes; they are related authorization issues but not duplicates. ## Recommended remediation - Do not exempt a query from datasource authorization based solely on client-controlled queryType. - Resolve the referenced datasource server-side before authorization and apply datasources:query whenever the resolved UID represents a real datasource. - Require expression queries to reference only the canonical server-side expression datasource and reject mismatches such as queryType: "__expr__" paired with a real datasource UID. - Ensure authorization and evaluation use the same canonical datasource identity and fail closed when fields conflict. - Add regression coverage for an OSS user with folder-level alert-rule edit permission but without datasource query permission, including mismatched queryType and datasourceUid values.
Title CVE-2026-17183 CVE Record
Weaknesses CWE-863
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N'}


Subscriptions

No data.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GRAFANA

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-19T19:03:17.611Z

Reserved: 2026-07-24T18:38:02.221Z

Link: CVE-2026-17183

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-08-19T18:42:00.562Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-19T18:16:35.940

Modified: 2026-08-19T19:17:11.430

Link: CVE-2026-17183

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses