Parse Server: Account takeover via operator injection in authentication data identifier
Impact
An unauthenticated attacker can take over any user account that was created with an authentication provider that does not validate the format of the user identifier (e.g. anonymous authentication). By sending a crafted login request, the attacker can cause the server to perform a pattern-matching query instead of an exact-match lookup, allowing the attacker to match an existing user and obtain a valid session token for that user's account. Both MongoDB and PostgreSQL database backends are affected. Any Parse Server deployment that allows anonymous authentication (enabled by default) is vulnerable.
Patches
The fix enforces that the user identifier in authentication data is a string before using it in a database query. Non-string values are rejected with a validation error.
Workarounds
There is no known workaround.
References
- GitHub security advisory: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-5fw2-8jcv-xh87
- Fix Parse Server 9: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/9.6.0-alpha.12
- Fix Parse Server 8: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/8.6.38
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| npm package | parse-server | >= 9.0.0, < 9.6.0-alpha.12, < 8.6.38 | 9.6.0-alpha.12, 8.6.38 |
References
- https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-5fw2-8jcv-xh87
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-32248
- https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server
- https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/8.6.38
- https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/9.6.0-alpha.12
- CVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-943- Platform
- npm
- Package
parse-server- Disclosed
- 12.03.2026
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 10:22
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-5fw2-8jcv-xh87 - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: parse-server
All published vulnerabilities of this package (npm package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 116
- First → latest
- 06.2019 06.2026
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 17
- High 49
- Medium 40
- Low 10
Disclosures per year
- 2019: 2
- 2020: 4
- 2021: 4
- 2022: 12
- 2023: 5
- 2024: 4
- 2025: 6
- 2026: 79
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