GHSA-MCWW-4HXQ-HFR3

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-04-04 06:14 – Updated: 2026-04-06 23:14
VLAI
Summary
LightRAG: Hardcoded JWT Signing Secret Allows Authentication Bypass
Details

Subject: Security Vulnerability Report Hardcoded JWT Secret (CVE-2026-30762)

Hi HKUDS team,

I'm writing to report a security vulnerability I discovered in LightRAG v1.4.10. This has been assigned CVE-2026-30762 by MITRE.

Vulnerability: Hardcoded JWT signing secret Type: Improper Authentication (CWE-287) Severity: High Attack Vector: Remote / Unauthenticated

Summary: The file lightrag/api/config.py (line 397) uses a default JWT secret "lightrag-jwt-default-secret" when the TOKEN_SECRET environment variable is not set. The AuthHandler in lightrag/api/auth.py (lines 24-25) uses this secret to sign and verify tokens. An unauthenticated attacker can forge valid JWT tokens using the publicly known default secret and gain access to any protected endpoint.

Reproduction: 1. Install LightRAG v1.4.10 with AUTH_ACCOUNTS configured but no TOKEN_SECRET set 2. Use PyJWT to sign a token: jwt.encode({"sub": "admin", "role": "user"}, "lightrag-jwt-default-secret", algorithm="HS256") 3. Send a request to any protected endpoint with the header: Authorization: Bearer 4. Access is granted without valid credentials

Suggested Fix: Require TOKEN_SECRET to be explicitly set when AUTH_ACCOUNTS is configured. Refuse to start the API server if authentication is enabled but no custom secret is provided.

I'm following a 90-day responsible disclosure timeline from today's date. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.

Best regards, Venkata Avinash Taduturi

Severity
7.5 (High)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
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{
  "affected": [
    {
      "database_specific": {
        "last_known_affected_version_range": "\u003c= 1.4.12"
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "PyPI",
        "name": "lightrag-hku"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "1.4.13"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-30762"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-287"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2026-04-04T06:14:41Z",
    "nvd_published_at": null,
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "Subject: Security Vulnerability Report Hardcoded JWT Secret (CVE-2026-30762)\n\nHi HKUDS team,\n\nI\u0027m writing to report a security vulnerability I discovered in LightRAG v1.4.10. This has been assigned CVE-2026-30762 by MITRE.\n\nVulnerability: Hardcoded JWT signing secret\nType: Improper Authentication (CWE-287)\nSeverity: High\nAttack Vector: Remote / Unauthenticated\n\nSummary:\nThe file lightrag/api/config.py (line 397) uses a default JWT secret \"lightrag-jwt-default-secret\" when the TOKEN_SECRET environment variable is not set. The AuthHandler in lightrag/api/auth.py (lines 24-25) uses this secret to sign and verify tokens. An unauthenticated attacker can forge valid JWT tokens using the publicly known default secret and gain access to any protected endpoint.\n\nReproduction:\n1. Install LightRAG v1.4.10 with AUTH_ACCOUNTS configured but no TOKEN_SECRET set\n2. Use PyJWT to sign a token: jwt.encode({\"sub\": \"admin\", \"role\": \"user\"}, \"lightrag-jwt-default-secret\", algorithm=\"HS256\")\n3. Send a request to any protected endpoint with the header: Authorization: Bearer \u003cforged_token\u003e\n4. Access is granted without valid credentials\n\nSuggested Fix:\nRequire TOKEN_SECRET to be explicitly set when AUTH_ACCOUNTS is configured. Refuse to start the API server if authentication is enabled but no custom secret is provided.\n\nI\u0027m following a 90-day responsible disclosure timeline from today\u0027s date. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.\n\nBest regards,\nVenkata Avinash Taduturi",
  "id": "GHSA-mcww-4hxq-hfr3",
  "modified": "2026-04-06T23:14:29Z",
  "published": "2026-04-04T06:14:41Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/HKUDS/LightRAG/security/advisories/GHSA-mcww-4hxq-hfr3"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/HKUDS/LightRAG"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "LightRAG: Hardcoded JWT Signing Secret Allows Authentication Bypass"
}



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