GHSA-4hf6-3x24-c9m8 — parse-server
GHSA-4hf6-3x24-c9m8 is a CWE-672 vulnerability in parse-server. A fix is available for parse-server — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Parse Server's MFA recovery codes not consumed after use
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- 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 GHSA-4hf6-3x24-c9m8.
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
Impact
When multi-factor authentication (MFA) via TOTP is enabled for a user account, Parse Server generates two single-use recovery codes. These codes are intended as a fallback when the user cannot provide a TOTP token. However, recovery codes are not consumed after use, allowing the same recovery code to be used an unlimited number of times. This defeats the single-use design of recovery codes and weakens the security of MFA-protected accounts.
An attacker who obtains a single recovery code can repeatedly authenticate as the affected user without the code ever being invalidated.
Patches
The fix ensures that each recovery code is removed from the stored recovery code list after a successful login.
Workarounds
There is no known workaround.
References
- GitHub security advisory: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-4hf6-3x24-c9m8
- Fix Parse Server 9: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/9.6.0-alpha.7
- Fix Parse Server 8: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/8.6.33
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | parse-server | ≥ 9.0.0-alpha.1&&< 9.6.0-alpha.7 | 9.6.0-alpha.7npm install parse-server@9.6.0-alpha.7 |
| 📦npm | parse-server | all versions | 8.6.33npm install parse-server@8.6.33 |
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 9.6.0-alpha.7 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-4hf6-3x24-c9m8 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 GHSA-4hf6-3x24-c9m8 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-4hf6-3x24-c9m8. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-4hf6-3x24-c9m8 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-4hf6-3x24-c9m8 across npm dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.