GHSA-pg53-56cg-4m8q
GHSA-pg53-56cg-4m8q is a CWE-290 vulnerability in next-auth. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. O3 Security confirms whether GHSA-pg53-56cg-4m8q is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Token verification bug in next-auth
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.
next-authnpmDescription
Impact
Implementations using the Prisma database adapter with the Email provider are impacted.
Implementations using the Prisma database adapter that are not using the Email provider are not impacted. Implementations using the default database adapter (TypeORM) with the Email provider are not impacted. Implementations not using a database are not impacted.
Patches
This issue is fixed in 3.3.0 and newer versions.
Workarounds
Those not able to upgrade can alternatively disable the Email provider as a workaround.
Description
The Prisma database adapter was checking the verification token but not the identifier (the email address associated with the token). This made it possible to use a valid token assigned to one user, to sign in as another user when using the Prima adapter in conjunction with the Email provider. The defect is specific to the community-supported Prisma database adapter in versions <3.3.0 and is not present in the default database adapter (TypeORM).
Note: The current community-supported adapter was not developed by Prisma.
The defect was a problem in the implementation of verification function the adapter and is not directly related to Prisma.
The flaw may exist in other third party database adapters that do not check both the identifier and token values.
The design of the database adapter API may be revised in future to help reduce the likelyhood of similar defects.
Timeline
On Monday (2021-02-08) we were notified via responsible disclosure by Alessandro Angelino (@AlessandroA) of a flaw in the implementation of the Prisma database adapter included with NextAuth.js. A detailed write up and proof of concept were provided.
The following day (2021-02-09) we published a fix in v3.3.0 and confirmed through internal testing, and with Alessandro, that the issue was resolved in the new release and prompted users to upgrade.
On 2021-02-10 we received a CVE ID and published this advisory within a few hours of notification.
We would like to thank Alessandro for using responsible disclose to allow us to address the issue promptly and publish this advisory once an update was available that resolved the issue and Balázs Orbán (@balazsorban44) for facilitating a timely release of the fix.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | next-auth | all versions | 3.3.0 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for next-auth. 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 next-auth to 3.3.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-pg53-56cg-4m8q 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-pg53-56cg-4m8q 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-pg53-56cg-4m8q. 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-pg53-56cg-4m8q in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-pg53-56cg-4m8q across npm dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.