CVE-2025-61928 Better Auth: Unauthenticated API key creation through api-key plugin
Unauthenticated attackers can create API keys for any user by manipulating request parameters, leading to full account takeover and privilege escalation.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2025-61928?
CVE-2025-61928 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in better-auth, published on 9 Oct 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
Better Auth is an authentication and authorization library for TypeScript. In versions prior to 1.3.26, unauthenticated attackers can create or modify API keys for any user by passing that user's id in the request body to the `api/auth/api-key/create` route. `session?.user ?? (authRequired ? null : { id: ctx.body.userId })`. When no session exists but `userId` is present in the request body, `authRequired` becomes false and the user object is set to the attacker-controlled ID. Server-only field validation only executes when `authRequired` is true (lines 280-295), allowing attackers to set privileged fields. No additional authentication occurs before the database operation, so the malicious payload is accepted. The same pattern exists in the update endpoint. This is a critical authentication bypass enabling full an unauthenticated attacker can generate an API key for any user and immediately gain complete authenticated access. This allows the attacker to perform any action as the victim user using the api key, potentially compromise the user data and the application depending on the victim's privileges. Version 1.3.26 contains a patch for the issue.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-61928?
2 open source packages ship an affected version, including better-auth.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
better-auth npm | All versions | 1.3.26 |
better-auth npm | All versions | 1.3.26 |
How do I fix CVE-2025-61928?
Upgrade better-auth to 1.3.26 or later.
Upgrade, and rotate credentials and sessions that may have been exposed. More about Authentication bypass.
Is CVE-2025-61928 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-61928 exists.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-99h5-pjcv-gr6v.