Cyber Resilience

CVE-2026-30965

Access Control in Parseplatform Parse-Server ≤ 8.6.21

Published
10 March 2026
Modified
11 March 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v4 9.9
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
EPSS Score 0.0036 29th percentile
Risk Priority 46 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2026-30965 is a critical-severity Incorrect Authorization (CWE-863) vulnerability in Parseplatform Parse-Server. Its CVSS base score is 9.9 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked at the 29th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to AC-24 (Access Control Decisions) and AC-25 (Reference Monitor) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

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

CVE-2026-30965 is a high-severity vulnerability (CVSS 9.1) in Parse Server, an open-source backend platform deployable on any Node.js-compatible infrastructure. It affects versions prior to 9.5.2-alpha.8 and 8.6.21, stemming from flawed query handling in the redirectClassNameForKey parameter (CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization). This flaw enables attackers to exfiltrate session tokens belonging to other users, potentially leading to full account takeover.

An authenticated or unauthenticated attacker can exploit this by creating or updating an object with a new relation field, provided the targeted class's Class-Level Permissions (CLPs) allow such operations. Successful exploitation grants remote network access with low complexity, no privileges, and no user interaction required, resulting in high confidentiality and integrity impacts through stolen session tokens that can impersonate victims.

The Parse community addressed this in releases 8.6.21 and 9.5.2-alpha.8, as detailed in the GitHub security advisory GHSA-6r2j-cxgf-495f and corresponding release notes. Security practitioners should upgrade to these patched versions immediately and review CLPs to restrict object creation or updates involving relation fields.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

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 9.5.2-alpha.8 and 8.6.21, a vulnerability in Parse Server's query handling allows an authenticated or unauthenticated attacker to exfiltrate session tokens…

more

of other users by exploiting the redirectClassNameForKey query parameter. Exfiltrated session tokens can be used to take over user accounts. The vulnerability requires the attacker to be able to create or update an object with a new relation field, which depends on the Class-Level Permissions of at least one class. This vulnerability is fixed in 9.5.2-alpha.8 and 8.6.21.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
T1548 Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may circumvent mechanisms designed to control privilege elevation to gain higher-level permissions.
T1548.002 Bypass User Account Control Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may bypass UAC mechanisms to elevate process privileges on system.
T1548.003 Sudo and Sudo Caching Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may perform sudo caching and/or use the sudoers file to elevate privileges.
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2026-34532Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-39381Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-30947Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-30229Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-29182Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-33421Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-33527Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-30854Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-30228Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server
CVE-2026-30863Same product: Parseplatform Parse-Server

Affected Assets

parseplatform
parse-server
9.5.2 · ≤ 8.6.21 · 9.0.0 — 9.5.2

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 5 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

AC-3 directly requires correct enforcement of authorization decisions on every access request, structurally preventing incorrect checks.

AC-24 ensures access-control decisions are made and applied consistently, reducing the chance of an incorrect authorization result.

A reference monitor that is always invoked and tamper-proof forces every authorization decision through a verified, correct path.

Least-privilege assignments shrink the set of authorizations that must be checked correctly, limiting exposure to flawed checks.

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.AA-05 mostly match
prevents

Defining, enforcing, and reviewing access authorizations and least privilege directly prevents incorrect authorization checks.

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.

prevents

Requiring consistency between access rights and classification plus formal approval steps ensures that the authorization logic correctly distinguishes between entities that should and should not be granted access.

prevents

Enforcing policy-driven approval and role-change reviews stops incorrect or stale authorization decisions from remaining in effect after job changes or terminations.

prevents

By tying access rights to identity, device, location and classification, the control reduces the likelihood that an authorization decision will be based on an incorrect or bypassed policy.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (2 rules)
  • V-248581 OL 8 must require users to provide a password for privilege escalation. prevents CWE-863
  • V-252656 The OL 8 operating system must not be configured to bypass password requirements for privilege escalation. prevents CWE-863
RHEL 7 (1 rule)
  • V-204430 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must be configured so that users must re-authenticate for privilege escalation. prevents CWE-863
RHEL 8 (1 rule)
  • V-251712 The RHEL 8 operating system must not be configured to bypass password requirements for privilege escalation. prevents CWE-863

References