CVE-2026-30863: Parse Server JWT Audience Validation Bypass Vulnerability

CRITICAL
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-x6fw-778m-wr9v
CWE-287
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-30863 is a CRITICAL jwt audience validation bypass vulnerability (CWE-287: Improper Authentication) affecting Parse Server libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves jwt audience validation bypass in google, apple, and facebook authentication adapters. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 9.5.0-alpha.11, 8.6.10.

CVE-2026-30863 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-30863
GHSA Identifier GHSA-x6fw-778m-wr9v
Severity CRITICAL
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-287: Improper Authentication
Affected Product Parse Server
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2026-30863

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

parse-server fixed: 9.5.0-alpha.11
npm install parse-server@9.5.0-alpha.11
parse-server fixed: 8.6.10
npm install parse-server@8.6.10
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 parse-server

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by CVE-2026-30863, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls parse-server

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Parse Server in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 9.5.0-alpha.11), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls parse-server 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-287: Improper Authentication, where when an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct. In Parse Server, 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

### Impact The Google, Apple, and Facebook authentication adapters use JWT verification to validate identity tokens. When the adapter's audience configuration option is not set (`clientId` for Google/Apple, `appIds` for Facebook), JWT verification silently skips audience claim validation. This allows an attacker to use a validly signed JWT issued for a different application to authenticate as any user on the target Parse Server. - For Google and Apple, the vulnerability is exploitable when the server does not configure `clientId`. The adapters accepted this as valid and simply skipped audience validation. - For Facebook Limited Login, the vulnerability exists regardless of configuration. The adapter validated `appIds` only for Standard Login (Graph API), but the Limited Login JWT path never passed `appIds` as the audience to JWT verification. ### Patches The fix enforces `clientId` (Google/Apple) and `appIds` (Facebook) as mandatory and passes them to JWT verification for audience validation. While this is technically a breaking change for servers that omit these options, it is not a breaking change as per documentation — all three options are documented as required configuration. ### Workarounds - Google / Apple: Ensure `clientId` is set in the adapter configuration. When set, JWT verification correctly validates the audience claim even on unpatched versions. - Facebook Limited Login: There is no workaround. The unpatched adapter does not pass `appIds` to JWT audience validation, so the only mitigation is to upgrade. ### References - GitHub security advisory: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-x6fw-778m-wr9v - Fix Parse Server 9: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/9.5.0-alpha.11 - Fix Parse Server 8: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/8.6.10

CVE-2026-30863 Affected Parse Server Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
9.5.0-alpha.118.6.10
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
parse-server
npm
≥ 9.0.0-alpha.1
< 9.5.0-alpha.11
9.5.0-alpha.11
parse-server
npm
< 8.6.10
8.6.10

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-30863?
CVE-2026-30863 is a security vulnerability in Parse Server involving JWT audience validation bypass in Google, Apple, and Facebook authentication adapters under CWE-287: Improper Authentication.
Which Parse Server versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 9.5.0-alpha.11, 8.6.10 across affected packages: parse-server.
What version fixes CVE-2026-30863?
Upgrading to 9.5.0-alpha.11, 8.6.10 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is parse-server affected?
Yes, parse-server is affected in releases prior to 9.5.0-alpha.11, 8.6.10. Upgrade your dependency to 9.5.0-alpha.11, 8.6.10 or later.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-30863?
CVE-2026-30863 is classified under CWE-287: Improper Authentication (When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2026-30863?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls parse-server'. 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
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-x6fw-778m-wr9v",
  "modified" : "2026-03-09T17:42:22Z",
  "published" : "2026-03-09T17:42:22Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-30863" ],
  "summary" : "Parse Server: JWT audience validation bypass in Google, Apple, and Facebook authentication adapters",
  "details" : "### Impact\n\nThe Google, Apple, and Facebook authentication adapters use JWT verification to validate identity tokens. When the adapter's audience configuration option is not set (`clientId` for Google/Apple, `appIds` for Facebook), JWT verification silently skips audience claim validation. This allows an attacker to use a validly signed JWT issued for a different application to authenticate as any user on the target Parse Server.\n\n- For Google and Apple, the vulnerability is exploitable when the server does not configure `clientId`. The adapters accepted this as valid and simply skipped audience validation.\n- For Facebook Limited Login, the vulnerability exists regardless of configuration. The adapter validated `appIds` only for Standard Login (Graph API), but the Limited Login JWT path never passed `appIds` as the audience to JWT verification.\n\n### Patches\n\nThe fix enforces `clientId` (Google/Apple) and `appIds` (Facebook) as mandatory and passes them to JWT verification for audience validation. While this is technically a breaking change for servers that omit these options, it is not a breaking change as per documentation — all three options are documented as required configuration.\n\n### Workarounds\n\n- Google / Apple: Ensure `clientId` is set in the adapter configuration. When set, JWT verification correctly validates the audience claim even on unpatched versions.\n- Facebook Limited Login: There is no workaround. The unpatched adapter does not pass `appIds` to JWT audience validation, so the only mitigation is to upgrade.\n\n### References\n\n- GitHub security advisory: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-x6fw-778m-wr9v\n- Fix Parse Server 9: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/9.5.0-alpha.11\n- Fix Parse Server 8: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/8.6.10",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
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      "name" : "parse-server"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
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  }, {
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    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-x6fw-778m-wr9v"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-30863"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-287" ],
    "severity" : "CRITICAL",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-03-09T17:42:22Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-03-07T17:15:54Z"
  }
}