CVE-2025-4644: Payload Payload's SQLite Adapter Session Fixation Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-26rv-h2hf-3fw4
Share
CWE-384
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-4644 is a MODERATE payload's sqlite adapter session fixation vulnerability (CWE-384: Session Fixation) affecting Payload libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves payload's sqlite adapter session fixation vulnerability. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 3.44.0.

CVE-2025-4644 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-4644
GHSA Identifier GHSA-26rv-h2hf-3fw4
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-384: Session Fixation
Affected Product Payload
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2025-4644

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Payload dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

payload fixed: 3.44.0 
npm install payload@3.44.0
@payloadcms/next fixed: 3.44.0 
npm install @payloadcms/next@3.44.0
@payloadcms/graphql fixed: 3.44.0 
npm install @payloadcms/graphql@3.44.0
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

npm ls payload

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by CVE-2025-4644, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls payload

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Payload in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 3.44.0), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls payload command inspects dependencies declared in your package.json and lockfile; it does not perform automated runtime dynamic scanning.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-384: Session Fixation, where authenticating a user, or otherwise establishing a new user session, without invalidating any existing session identifier gives an attacker the opportunity to steal authenticated sessions. In Payload, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

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.

CVE-2025-4644 Affected Payload Versions

3 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
3.44.0
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
payload
npm/payload
npm
< 3.44.0
3.44.0
@payloadcms/next
npm/@payloadcms/next
npm
< 3.44.0
3.44.0
@payloadcms/graphql
npm/@payloadcms/graphql
npm
< 3.44.0
3.44.0

References

NVD — CVE-2025-4644 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-4644
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/commit/26d709dda6e512ce347557eaa2057db6e0cbf809
cert.pl/en/posts/2025/08/cv... WEB
https://cert.pl/en/posts/2025/08/CVE-2025-4643
Payload Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/payloadcms/payload

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-4644?
CVE-2025-4644 is a security vulnerability in Payload involving Payload's SQLite adapter Session Fixation vulnerability under CWE-384: Session Fixation.
Which Payload versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 3.44.0 across affected packages: payload, @payloadcms/next, @payloadcms/graphql.
What version fixes CVE-2025-4644?
Upgrading to 3.44.0 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is payload affected?
Yes, payload is affected in releases prior to 3.44.0. Upgrade your dependency to 3.44.0 or later.
Is @payloadcms/next affected?
Yes, @payloadcms/next is affected in releases prior to 3.44.0. Upgrade your dependency to 3.44.0 or later.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-4644?
CVE-2025-4644 is classified under CWE-384: Session Fixation (Authenticating a user, or otherwise establishing a new user session, without invalidating any existing session identifier gives an attacker the opportunity to steal authenticated sessions.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2025-4644?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls payload'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-26rv-h2hf-3fw4",
  "modified" : "2025-08-29T16:59:05Z",
  "published" : "2025-08-29T12:31:11Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-4644" ],
  "summary" : "Payload's SQLite adapter Session Fixation vulnerability",
  "details" : "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.\n\nThis issue has been fixed in version 3.44.0 of Payload.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "payload"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.44.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "@payloadcms/next"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.44.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "@payloadcms/graphql"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.44.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-4644"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/commit/26d709dda6e512ce347557eaa2057db6e0cbf809"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://cert.pl/en/posts/2025/08/CVE-2025-4643"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/payloadcms/payload"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-384" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-08-29T16:59:05Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-08-29T10:15:32Z"
  }
}