# CVE-2026-32248: Parse Server: Account takeover via operator injection in authentication data identifier

> Unauthenticated attackers can take over user accounts by injecting operators into authentication identifiers, bypassing exact-match checks in Parse Server.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 12 Mar 2026
- **Updated:** 13 Mar 2026
- **Also known as:** BIT-parse-2026-32248, GHSA-5fw2-8jcv-xh87

## What is CVE-2026-32248?

CVE-2026-32248 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Parseplatform Parse-Server, published on 12 Mar 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, 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 9.6.0-alpha.12 and 8.6.38, an unauthenticated attacker can take over any user account that was created with an authentication provider that does not validate the format of the user identifier (e.g. anonymous authentication). By sending a crafted login request, the attacker can cause the server to perform a pattern-matching query instead of an exact-match lookup, allowing the attacker to match an existing user and obtain a valid session token for that user's account. Both MongoDB and PostgreSQL database backends are affected. Any Parse Server deployment that allows anonymous authentication (enabled by default) is vulnerable. This vulnerability is fixed in 9.6.0-alpha.12 and 8.6.38.

Weakness: CWE-943 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Data Query Logic)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-32248?

5 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 | 8.6.38 |
| `parse-server` | npm | All versions | 8.6.38 |
| `parse-server` | npm | From 9.0.0 | 9.6.0-alpha.12 |
| `parse-server` | npm | From 9.0.0 | 9.6.0-alpha.12 |
| `parse` | Bitnami | All versions | 8.6.38, 9.6.0 |

Products: Parseplatform Parse-Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-32248?

Upgrade parse-server to a fixed version for your release line: 8.6.38 or 9.6.0-alpha.12.

## Is CVE-2026-32248 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-32248 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-2026-32248 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-32248 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Parseplatform Parse-Server, published on 12 Mar 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-32248 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- parse-server (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 8.6.38
- parse-server (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 8.6.38
- parse-server (npm): affected from 9.0.0; fixed in 9.6.0-alpha.12
- parse-server (npm): affected from 9.0.0; fixed in 9.6.0-alpha.12
- parse (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 8.6.38, 9.6.0

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-2026-32248/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-32248/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-32248
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-32248
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-32248

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-32248/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.