GHSA-9cp7-3q5w-j92g
parse-server: Malformed `$regex` query leaks database error details in API response
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
parse-server📦parse-serverReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects npm packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Impact
A malformed $regex query parameter (e.g. [abc) causes the database to return a structured error object that is passed unsanitized through the API response. This leaks database internals such as error messages, error codes, code names, cluster timestamps, and topology details. The vulnerability is exploitable by any client that can send query requests, depending on the deployment's permission configuration.
Patches
The fix sanitizes database error objects so that only a generic "An internal server error occurred" message is returned to clients, while the detailed error is logged server-side. The fix respects the enableSanitizedErrorResponse server option.
Workarounds
There is no workaround other than upgrading. The error leakage occurs in the query execution layer and cannot be mitigated through server configuration or client-side changes.
Resources
- GitHub security advisory: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-9cp7-3q5w-j92g
- Fix in Parse Server 9: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/9.5.0-alpha.6
- Fix in Parse Server 8: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/8.6.7
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | parse-server | ≥ 9.0.0&&< 9.5.0-alpha.6 | 9.5.0-alpha.6 |
| 📦npm | parse-server | all versions | 8.6.7 |
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 9.5.0-alpha.6 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-9cp7-3q5w-j92g 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 GHSA-9cp7-3q5w-j92g 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 GHSA-9cp7-3q5w-j92g. 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-9cp7-3q5w-j92g in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-9cp7-3q5w-j92g across npm dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.