# CVE-2026-33042: Parse Server affected by empty authData bypassing credential requirement on signup

> Attackers can create authenticated user sessions without credentials by sending empty authData, bypassing signup requirements in Parse Server.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.9 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/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:** 18 Mar 2026
- **Updated:** 20 Mar 2026
- **Also known as:** BIT-parse-2026-33042, GHSA-wjqw-r9x4-j59v

## What is CVE-2026-33042?

CVE-2026-33042 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Parseplatform Parse-Server, published on 18 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.29 and 8.6.49, a user can sign up without providing credentials by sending an empty `authData` object, bypassing the username and password requirement. This allows the creation of authenticated sessions without proper credentials, even when anonymous users are disabled. The fix in 9.6.0-alpha.29 and 8.6.49 ensures that empty or non-actionable `authData` is treated the same as absent `authData` for the purpose of credential validation on new user creation. Username and password are now required when no valid auth provider data is present. As a workaround, use a Cloud Code `beforeSave` trigger on the `_User` class to reject signups where `authData` is empty and no username/password is provided.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-33042?

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 | 8.6.49 |
| `parse-server` | npm | All versions | 8.6.49 |
| `parse-server` | npm | From 9.0.0 | 9.6.0-alpha.29 |
| `parse-server` | npm | From 9.0.0 | 9.6.0-alpha.29 |
| `parse` | Bitnami | All versions | 8.6.49, 9.6.0 |

Products: Parseplatform Parse-Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-33042?

Upgrade parse-server to a fixed version for your release line: 8.6.49 or 9.6.0-alpha.29.

## Is CVE-2026-33042 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-33042 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-2026-33042 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-33042 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Parseplatform Parse-Server, published on 18 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-2026-33042 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- parse-server (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 8.6.49
- parse-server (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 8.6.49
- parse-server (npm): affected from 9.0.0; fixed in 9.6.0-alpha.29
- parse-server (npm): affected from 9.0.0; fixed in 9.6.0-alpha.29
- parse (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 8.6.49, 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-2026-33042/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-33042/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-33042
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-33042
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-33042

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-33042/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.