CVE-2026-30228 Parse Server: File creation and deletion bypasses `readOnlyMasterKey` write restriction
Attackers with a read-only master key can bypass restrictions to upload or delete files via the Files API in Parse Server deployments.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- An administrator
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-30228?
CVE-2026-30228 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Parseplatform Parse-Server, published on 6 Mar 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, 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. Prior to versions 8.6.5 and 9.5.0-alpha.3, the readOnlyMasterKey can be used to create and delete files via the Files API (POST /files/:filename, DELETE /files/:filename). This bypasses the read-only restriction which violates the access scope of the readOnlyMasterKey. Any Parse Server deployment that uses readOnlyMasterKey and exposes the Files API is affected. An attacker with access to the readOnlyMasterKey can upload arbitrary files or delete existing files. This issue has been patched in versions 8.6.5 and 9.5.0-alpha.3.
Weakness: CWE-863
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-30228?
5 open source packages ship an affected version, including parse-server and parse. It affects 1 product.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
parse-server npm | All versions | 8.6.5 |
parse-server npm | All versions | 8.6.5 |
parse-server npm | From 9.0.0 | 9.5.0-alpha.3 |
parse-server npm | From 9.0.0 | 9.5.0-alpha.3 |
parse Bitnami | All versions | 9.5.0 |
Products include Parseplatform Parse-Server.
How do I fix CVE-2026-30228?
Upgrade parse-server to a fixed version for your release line: 8.6.5 or 9.5.0-alpha.3.
Is CVE-2026-30228 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-30228 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Parseplatform Parse-Server
- CVE-2026-30966 Parse Server role escalation and CLP bypass via direct `_Join` table write
- CVE-2024-27298 Parse Server literalizeRegexPart SQL Injection
- CVE-2022-24760 Command Injection in Parse server
- CVE-2026-30965 Parse Server session token exfiltration via `redirectClassNameForKey` query parameter
- CVE-2023-36475 Parse Server vulnerable to remote code execution via MongoDB BSON parser through prototype pollution
Sources
Also known as BIT-parse-2026-30228, GHSA-xfh7-phr7-gr2x.