CVE-2025-64502
Parse Server allows public `explain` queries which may expose sensitive database performance information and schema details
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Blast Radius
Weekly download volume for affected packages — a proxy for how broadly this vulnerability is deployed.
parse-servernpmDescription
Parse Server is an open source backend that can be deployed to any infrastructure that can run Node.js. The MongoDB explain() method provides detailed information about query execution plans, including index usage, collection scanning behavior, and performance metrics. Prior to version 8.5.0-alpha.5, Parse Server permits any client to execute explain queries without requiring the master key. This exposes database schema structure and field names, index configurations and query optimization details, query execution statistics and performance metrics, and potential attack vectors for database performance exploitation. In version 8.5.0-alpha.5, a new databaseOptions.allowPublicExplain configuration option has been introduced that allows to restrict explain queries to the master key. The option defaults to true for now to avoid a breaking change in production systems that depends on public explain availability. In addition, a security warning is logged when the option is not explicitly set, or set to true. In a future major release of Parse Server, the default will change to false. As a workaround, implement middleware to block explain queries from non-master-key requests, or monitor and alert on explain query usage in production environments.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | parse-server | all versions | 8.5.0-alpha.5 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for parse-server. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update parse-server to 8.5.0-alpha.5 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2025-64502 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2025-64502 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2025-64502. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2025-64502 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2025-64502 across npm dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.