### Background

The `spicedb serve` command contains a flag named `–grpc-preshared-key` which is used to protect the gRPC API from being accessed by unauthorized requests. The values of this flag are to be considered sensitive, secret data.

The `/debug/pprof/cmdline` endpoint served by the metrics service (defaulting running on port `9090`) reveals the command-line flags provided for debugging purposes. If a password is set via the `–grpc-preshared-key` then the key is revealed by this endpoint along with any other flags provided to the SpiceDB binary.

### Impact

All deployments abiding by the recommended best practices for production usage are **NOT affected**:
– Authzed’s SpiceDB Serverless
– Authzed’s SpiceDB Dedicated
– SpiceDB Operator

Users configuring SpiceDB via environment variables are **NOT affected**.

Users **MAY be affected** if they expose their metrics port to an untrusted network and are configuring `–grpc-preshared-key` via command-line flag.

### Workarounds

To workaround this issue you can do one of the following:

– Configure the preshared key via an environment variable (e.g. `SPICEDB_GRPC_PRESHARED_KEY=yoursecret spicedb serve`)
– Reconfigure the `–metrics-addr` flag to bind to a trusted network (e.g. `–metrics-addr=localhost:9090`)
– Disable the metrics service via the flag (e.g. `–metrics-enabled=false`)
– Adopt one of the recommended deployment models: [Authzed’s managed services](https://authzed.com/pricing) or the [SpiceDB Operator](https://github.com/authzed/spicedb-operator)

### References

– [GitHub Security Advisory issued for SpiceDB](https://github.com/authzed/spicedb/security/advisories/GHSA-cjr9-mr35-7xh6)
– [Go issue #22085](https://github.com/golang/go/issues/22085) for documenting the risks of exposing pprof to the internet
– [Go issue #42834](https://github.com/golang/go/issues/42834) discusses preventing pprof registration to the default serve mux
– [semgrep rule go.lang.security.audit.net.pprof.pprof-debug-exposure](https://semgrep.dev/r?q=go.lang.security.audit.net.pprof) checks for a variation of this issueRead More