# CVE-2020-26288: Parse Server stores password in plain text

> Parse Server stores LDAP user passwords in cleartext, allowing attackers with database access to read sensitive credentials.

- **Severity:** High 7.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 30 Dec 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** BIT-parse-2020-26288, GHSA-4w46-w44m-3jq3

## What is CVE-2020-26288?

CVE-2020-26288 is a high-severity vulnerability in Parseplatform Parse-Server, published on 30 Dec 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Parse Server is an open source backend that can be deployed to any infrastructure that can run Node.js. It is an npm package "parse-server". In Parse Server before version 4.5.0, user passwords involved in LDAP authentication are stored in cleartext. This is fixed in version 4.5.0 by stripping password after authentication to prevent cleartext password storage.

Weakness: CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-26288?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including parse-server and parse. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `parse-server` | npm | All versions | 4.5.0 |
| `parse-server` | npm | All versions | 4.5.0 |
| `parse` | Bitnami | All versions | 4.5.0 |

Products: Parseplatform Parse-Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-26288?

Upgrade parse-server to 4.5.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2020-26288 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-26288 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Parseplatform Parse-Server

- [CVE-2026-30966](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-30966/): Parse Server role escalation and CLP bypass via direct `_Join` table write (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2024-27298](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-27298/): Parse Server literalizeRegexPart SQL Injection (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2022-24760](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24760/): Command Injection in Parse server (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-30965](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-30965/): Parse Server session token exfiltration via `redirectClassNameForKey` query parameter (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2023-36475](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36475/): Parse Server vulnerable to remote code execution via MongoDB BSON parser through prototype pollution (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-26288 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-26288 is a high-severity vulnerability in Parseplatform Parse-Server, published on 30 Dec 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-26288 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- parse-server (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 4.5.0
- parse-server (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 4.5.0
- parse (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 4.5.0

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-26288/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-26288/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-26288
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-26288
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-26288

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-26288/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.