Medium severity · published Aug 18, 2021
CVE-2021-39138
New anonymous user session acts as if it's created with password
6.5
CVSS
1%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
Parse Server is an open source backend that can be deployed to any infrastructure that can run Node.js. Developers can use the REST API to signup users and also allow users to login anonymously. Prior to version 4.5.1, when an anonymous user is first signed up using REST, the server creates session incorrectly. Particularly, the `authProvider` field in `_Session` class under `createdWith` shows the user logged in creating a password. If a developer later depends on the `createdWith` field to provide a different level of access between a password user and anonymous user, the server incorrectly classified the session type as being created with a `password`. The server does not currently use `createdWith` to make decisions about internal functions, so if a developer is not using `createdWith` directly, they are not affected. The vulnerability only affects users who depend on `createdWith` by using it directly. The issue is patched in Parse Server version 4.5.1. As a workaround, do not use the `createdWith` Session field to make decisions if one allows anonymous login.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)1.0% · higher than 63% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
PA
parse-server · parse-community
< 4.5.1 · source: vendor, NVD
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-39138
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-39138
Patch
https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/commit/147bd9a3dc43391e92c36e05d5db860b04ca27db
Release Notes
https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/4.5.1
Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-23r4-5mxp-c7g5
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