Summary
A Session Fixation vulnerability existed in Payload's SQLite adapter due to identifier reuse during account creation. A malicious attacker could create a new account, save its JSON Web Token (JWT), and then delete the account, which did not invalidate the JWT. As a result, the next newly created user would receive the same identifier, allowing the attacker to reuse the JWT to authenticate and perform actions as that user.
This issue has been fixed in version 3.44.0 of Payload.
Impact
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
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. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
Remediation advice
payload to 3.44.0 or later; @payloadcms/next to 3.44.0 or later; @payloadcms/graphql to 3.44.0 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-4644? CVE-2025-4644 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in payload (npm), affecting versions < 3.44.0. It is fixed in 3.44.0.
- Which packages are affected by CVE-2025-4644?
payload(npm) (versions < 3.44.0)@payloadcms/next(npm) (versions < 3.44.0)@payloadcms/graphql(npm) (versions < 3.44.0)
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-4644? Yes. CVE-2025-4644 is fixed in 3.44.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2025-4644 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-4644 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
- What actually determines whether CVE-2025-4644 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.
- How do I fix CVE-2025-4644?
- Upgrade
payloadto 3.44.0 or later - Upgrade
@payloadcms/nextto 3.44.0 or later - Upgrade
@payloadcms/graphqlto 3.44.0 or later
- Upgrade