GHSA-q3vj-96h2-gwvg — parse-server
GHSA-q3vj-96h2-gwvg is a SQL Injection vulnerability in parse-server. A fix is available for parse-server — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Parse Server vulnerable to SQL injection via `Increment` operation on nested object field in PostgreSQL
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- CISA assesses this as automatable — exploitation doesn’t require manual, per-target effort, which raises the odds of mass scanning and opportunistic attacks.
- 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 GHSA-q3vj-96h2-gwvg.
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
A SQL injection vulnerability exists in the PostgreSQL storage adapter when processing Increment operations on nested object fields using dot notation (e.g., stats.counter). The amount value is interpolated directly into the SQL query without parameterization or type validation. An attacker who can send write requests to the Parse Server REST API can inject arbitrary SQL subqueries to read any data from the database, bypassing CLPs and ACLs.
MongoDB deployments are not affected.
Patches
The fix adds type validation to reject non-number values and parameterizes the value in the SQL query instead of interpolating it.
Workarounds
There is no known workaround.
References
- GitHub security advisory: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-q3vj-96h2-gwvg
- Fix Parse Server 9: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/9.6.0-alpha.3
- Fix Parse Server 8: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/8.6.29
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | parse-server | ≥ 9.0.0-alpha.1&&< 9.6.0-alpha.3 | 9.6.0-alpha.3npm install parse-server@9.6.0-alpha.3 |
| 📦npm | parse-server | all versions | 8.6.29npm install parse-server@8.6.29 |
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.3 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-q3vj-96h2-gwvg 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-q3vj-96h2-gwvg can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-q3vj-96h2-gwvg. 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-q3vj-96h2-gwvg in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-q3vj-96h2-gwvg across npm dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.