Security Resilience

CVE-2023-36475

Parseplatform Parse-Server ≤ 5.5.2

Published
28 June 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 9.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.032 88th percentile
Risk Priority 83 floored blend · peak EPSS

CVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.

Summary

CVE-2023-36475 is a critical-severity Prototype Pollution (CWE-1321) vulnerability in Parseplatform Parse-Server. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Junk Data (T1001.001); ranked in the top 12% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

Parse Server is an open source backend framework that runs on Node.js and connects to MongoDB. CVE-2023-36475 is a prototype-pollution vulnerability (CWE-1321) present in versions prior to 5.5.2 and 6.2.1. An attacker-supplied payload can reach a sink inside the MongoDB BSON parser, allowing the pollution to be escalated into arbitrary code execution on the server.

Because the flaw is reachable over the network with no authentication or user interaction required, any remote attacker who can send requests to a Parse Server instance can achieve full remote code execution, resulting in complete compromise of the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected service.

Patches addressing the issue were released in Parse Server versions 5.5.2 and 6.2.1; the corresponding commits and release notes are available in the project repository.

EPSS for the CVE rose from a low baseline to a peak of 0.1670 on 2025-01-22 before receding to the current value of 0.0983, indicating a measurable increase in observed exploitation interest after disclosure.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Parse Server is an open source backend that can be deployed to any infrastructure that can run Node.js. Prior to versions 5.5.2 and 6.2.1, an attacker can use a prototype pollution sink to trigger a remote code execution through the…

more

MongoDB BSON parser. A patch is available in versions 5.5.2 and 6.2.1.

CWE(s)
CWE-1321

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1001.001 Junk Data Command And Control
Adversaries may add junk data to protocols used for command and control to make detection more difficult.
attack.mitre.org →
T1003 OS Credential Dumping Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to dump credentials to obtain account login and credential material, normally in the form of a hash or a clear text password.
attack.mitre.org →
T1003.002 Security Account Manager Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to extract credential material from the Security Account Manager (SAM) database either through in-memory techniques or through the Windows Registry where the SAM database is stored.
attack.mitre.org →
T1003.006 DCSync Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to access credentials and other sensitive information by abusing a Windows Domain Controller's application programming interface (API)(Citation: Microsoft DRSR Dec 2017) (Citation: Microsoft GetNCCChanges) (Citati…
attack.mitre.org →
T1003.008 /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to dump the contents of <code>/etc/passwd</code> and <code>/etc/shadow</code> to enable offline password cracking.
attack.mitre.org →
T1008 Fallback Channels Command And Control
Adversaries may use fallback or alternate communication channels if the primary channel is compromised or inaccessible in order to maintain reliable command and control and to avoid data transfer thresholds.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2026-30939Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-32878Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-32886Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2023-32689Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-34595Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-33539Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-31856Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-31871Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-32234Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2024-27298Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server

Affected Assets

parseplatform
parse-server
≤ 5.5.2 · 6.0.0 — 6.2.1

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

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Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V15.3.6

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 partial match
blocks

Secure SDLC practices directly require input validation and safe property assignment to prevent prototype pollution.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.5.14 Information transfer partial match
removes
A.5.15 Access control partial match
removes
A.5.16 Identity management partial match
removes
A.5.17 Authentication information partial match
removes
A.5.18 Access rights partial match
removes
A.8.10 Information deletion partial match
removes

References