CVE-2022-36079

Workarounds

Implement a Parse Cloud Trigger beforeFind and manually remove the query constraints, such as:

Parse.Cloud.beforeFind('TestObject', ({ query }) => {
  for (const key in query._where || []) {
    // Repeat logic for protected fields
    if (key.charAt(0) === '_') {
      delete query._where[key];
    }
  }
});

References

• https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-2m6g-crv8-p3c6

Internal fields (keys used internally by Parse Server, prefixed by _) and protected fields (user defined) can be used as query constraints. Internal and protected fields are removed by Parse Server from query results and are only returned to the client using a valid master key. However, using query constraints, these fields can be guessed by enumerating until Parse Server returns a response object.

CVE-2022-36079 has a CVSS score of 8.6 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (4.10.14, 5.2.5); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

The patch requires the master key to use internal and protected fields as query constraints.

1. What is CVE-2022-36079? CVE-2022-36079 is a high-severity security vulnerability in parse-server (npm), affecting versions < 4.10.14. It is fixed in 4.10.14, 5.2.5.
2. How severe is CVE-2022-36079? CVE-2022-36079 has a CVSS score of 8.6 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of parse-server are affected by CVE-2022-36079? parse-server (npm) versions < 4.10.14 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2022-36079? Yes. CVE-2022-36079 is fixed in 4.10.14, 5.2.5. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2022-36079 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-36079 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2022-36079 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2022-36079?
   • Upgrade parse-server to 4.10.14 or later
   • Upgrade parse-server to 5.2.5 or later

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