CVE-2025-4644 User Session Fixation after Account Removal in PayloadCMS
Attackers can hijack new user accounts by reusing JWTs from deleted accounts due to identifier reuse in the SQLite adapter.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2025-4644?
CVE-2025-4644 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Payload, published on 29 Aug 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
A Session Fixation vulnerability existed in Payload's SQLite adapter due to identifier reuse during account creation. A malicious attacker could create a new account, save its JSON Web Token (JWT), and then delete the account, which did not invalidate the JWT. As a result, the next newly created user would receive the same identifier, allowing the attacker to reuse the JWT to authenticate and perform actions as that user.
This issue has been fixed in version 3.44.0 of Payload.
Weakness: CWE-384
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-4644?
6 open source packages ship an affected version, including @payloadcms/graphql, @payloadcms/next and payload.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
@payloadcms/graphql npm | All versions | 3.44.0 |
@payloadcms/graphql npm | All versions | 3.44.0 |
@payloadcms/next npm | All versions | 3.44.0 |
@payloadcms/next npm | All versions | 3.44.0 |
payload npm | All versions | 3.44.0 |
payload npm | All versions | 3.44.0 |
How do I fix CVE-2025-4644?
Upgrade @payloadcms/graphql to 3.44.0 or later.
Upgrade, and rotate credentials and sessions that may have been exposed. More about Authentication bypass.
Is CVE-2025-4644 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-4644 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-26rv-h2hf-3fw4.