Grafana: alert rule marked as a server-side expression bypasses datasource query authorization

Impact

A user allowed to create or edit alert rules can mark a query as a server-side expression while still pointing it at a real datasource UID, and Grafana runs it with the configured datasource credentials without checking that the user may query that datasource. In a GPU cloud, Grafana usually holds the credentials for the fleet's Prometheus, DCGM exporter, loki and billing datastores, and datasource permissions are what keeps one team's telemetry away from another's. The result is that anyone with alert-rule edit rights reads any datasource the Grafana instance can reach. Confidentiality is rated high; the record notes limited integrity impact.

Who can reach it

Authenticated Grafana user holding permission to create or edit alert rules, over the network. No administrative role needed beyond alerting edit rights.

What to do

Apply the fixed Grafana OSS/Enterprise version named in the linked Grafana security advisory and restart the server — the record itself does not state a version number, so read the advisory before scheduling. As an interim mitigation, cut back who holds alert-rule create/edit permission in orgs and folders that reach sensitive datasources.

References