GHSA-hwx8-q9cg-mqmc — parse-server
GHSA-hwx8-q9cg-mqmc is a CWE-862 vulnerability in parse-server. A fix is available for parse-server — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Parse Server: File metadata endpoint bypasses `beforeFind` / `afterFind` trigger authorization
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-hwx8-q9cg-mqmc.
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
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
The file metadata endpoint (GET /files/:appId/metadata/:filename) does not enforce beforeFind / afterFind file triggers. When these triggers are used as access-control gates, the metadata endpoint bypasses them entirely, allowing unauthorized access to file metadata.
This affects any deployment that relies on Parse.Cloud.beforeFind(Parse.File, ...) to restrict file access. Only file metadata (user-defined key-value pairs set via addMetadata) is exposed; file content remains protected.
Patches
The metadata handler now runs beforeFind and afterFind triggers and returns HTTP 403 when a trigger denies access.
Workarounds
Disable the metadata endpoint by overriding the route with a middleware that rejects all requests:
// Add before mounting Parse Server
app.get('/parse/files/:appId/metadata/:filename', (req, res) => {
res.status(403).json({ error: 'Forbidden' });
});
Adjust the path prefix (/parse) to match your mountPath.
References
- GitHub security advisory: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-hwx8-q9cg-mqmc
- Fix Parse Server 9: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/9.5.0-alpha.9
- Fix Parse Server 8: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/8.6.9
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | parse-server | all versions | 8.6.9npm install parse-server@8.6.9 |
| 📦npm | parse-server | ≥ 9.0.0-alpha.1&&< 9.5.0-alpha.9 | 9.5.0-alpha.9npm install parse-server@9.5.0-alpha.9 |
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 8.6.9 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-hwx8-q9cg-mqmc 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-hwx8-q9cg-mqmc can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-hwx8-q9cg-mqmc. 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-hwx8-q9cg-mqmc in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-hwx8-q9cg-mqmc across npm dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.