CVE-2026-29182 — parse-server
CVE-2026-29182 is a CWE-863 vulnerability in parse-server. A fix is available for parse-server — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Parse Server: Cloud Hooks and Cloud Jobs bypass `readOnlyMasterKey` write restriction
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2026-29182.
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.
Real-World Exposure
How broadly this vulnerability is actually deployed: weekly install volume shows current usage, and reverse-dependency count shows how many other packages break if it stays unpatched.
parse-servernpmDescription
Parse Server is an open source backend that can be deployed to any infrastructure that can run Node.js. Prior to versions 8.6.4 and 9.4.1-alpha.3, Parse Server's readOnlyMasterKey option allows access with master-level read privileges but is documented to deny all write operations. However, some endpoints incorrectly accept the readOnlyMasterKey for mutating operations. This allows a caller who only holds the readOnlyMasterKey to create, modify, and delete Cloud Hooks and to start Cloud Jobs, which can be used for data exfiltration. Any Parse Server deployment that uses the readOnlyMasterKey option is affected. Note than an attacker needs to know the readOnlyMasterKey to exploit this vulnerability. This issue has been patched in versions 8.6.4 and 9.4.1-alpha.3.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | parse-server | ≥ 9.0.0&&< 9.4.1-alpha.3 | 9.4.1-alpha.3npm install parse-server@9.4.1-alpha.3 |
| 📦npm | parse-server | all versions | 8.6.4npm install parse-server@8.6.4 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for parse-server, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update parse-server to 9.4.1-alpha.3 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-29182 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 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2026-29182 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2026-29182. 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-2026-29182 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2026-29182 across npm dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.