Critical severityNVD Advisory· Published Jun 28, 2023· Updated Nov 27, 2024

Parse Server vulnerable to remote code execution via MongoDB BSON parser through prototype pollution

CVE-2023-36475

Description

Parse Server is an open source backend that can be deployed to any infrastructure that can run Node.js. Prior to versions 5.5.2 and 6.2.1, an attacker can use a prototype pollution sink to trigger a remote code execution through the MongoDB BSON parser. A patch is available in versions 5.5.2 and 6.2.1.

Affected packages

Versions sourced from the GitHub Security Advisory.

Package	Affected versions	Patched versions
parse-servernpm	< 5.5.2	5.5.2
parse-servernpm	>= 6.0.0, < 6.2.1	6.2.1

Affected products

Parse Community/Parse Serverv5
Range: < 5.5.2

Patches

5fad2928fb8e

fix: Remote code execution via MongoDB BSON parser through prototype pollution; fixes security vulnerability [GHSA-462x-c3jw-7vr6](https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-462x-c3jw-7vr6) (#8675)

https://github.com/parse-community/parse-serverManuelJun 28, 2023via ghsa

commit

6 files changed · +101 −33

.eslintrc.json+3 −0 modified

@@ -24,5 +24,8 @@
         "space-infix-ops": "error",
         "no-useless-escape": "off",
         "require-atomic-updates": "off"
+    },
+    "globals": {
+        "Parse": true
     }
 }

spec/vulnerabilities.spec.js+65 −0 modified

@@ -138,6 +138,71 @@ describe('Vulnerabilities', () => {
       );
     });
 
+    it('denies creating global config with polluted data', async () => {
+      const headers = {
+        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+        'X-Parse-Application-Id': 'test',
+        'X-Parse-Master-Key': 'test',
+      };
+      const params = {
+        method: 'PUT',
+        url: 'http://localhost:8378/1/config',
+        json: true,
+        body: {
+          params: {
+            welcomeMesssage: 'Welcome to Parse',
+            foo: { _bsontype: 'Code', code: 'shell' },
+          },
+        },
+        headers,
+      };
+      const response = await request(params).catch(e => e);
+      expect(response.status).toBe(400);
+      const text = JSON.parse(response.text);
+      expect(text.code).toBe(Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME);
+      expect(text.error).toBe(
+        'Prohibited keyword in request data: {"key":"_bsontype","value":"Code"}.'
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('denies direct database write wih prohibited keys', async () => {
+      const Config = require('../lib/Config');
+      const config = Config.get(Parse.applicationId);
+      const user = {
+        objectId: '1234567890',
+        username: 'hello',
+        password: 'pass',
+        _session_token: 'abc',
+        foo: { _bsontype: 'Code', code: 'shell' },
+      };
+      await expectAsync(config.database.create('_User', user)).toBeRejectedWith(
+        new Parse.Error(
+          Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME,
+          'Prohibited keyword in request data: {"key":"_bsontype","value":"Code"}.'
+        )
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('denies direct database update wih prohibited keys', async () => {
+      const Config = require('../lib/Config');
+      const config = Config.get(Parse.applicationId);
+      const user = {
+        objectId: '1234567890',
+        username: 'hello',
+        password: 'pass',
+        _session_token: 'abc',
+        foo: { _bsontype: 'Code', code: 'shell' },
+      };
+      await expectAsync(
+        config.database.update('_User', { _id: user.objectId }, user)
+      ).toBeRejectedWith(
+        new Parse.Error(
+          Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME,
+          'Prohibited keyword in request data: {"key":"_bsontype","value":"Code"}.'
+        )
+      );
+    });
+
     it('denies creating a hook with polluted data', async () => {
       const express = require('express');
       const bodyParser = require('body-parser');

src/Controllers/DatabaseController.js+10 −0 modified

@@ -467,6 +467,11 @@ class DatabaseController {
     validateOnly: boolean = false,
     validSchemaController: SchemaController.SchemaController
   ): Promise<any> {
+    try {
+      Utils.checkProhibitedKeywords(this.options, update);
+    } catch (error) {
+      return Promise.reject(new Parse.Error(Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME, error));
+    }
     const originalQuery = query;
     const originalUpdate = update;
     // Make a copy of the object, so we don't mutate the incoming data.
@@ -797,6 +802,11 @@ class DatabaseController {
     validateOnly: boolean = false,
     validSchemaController: SchemaController.SchemaController
   ): Promise<any> {
+    try {
+      Utils.checkProhibitedKeywords(this.options, object);
+    } catch (error) {
+      return Promise.reject(new Parse.Error(Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME, error));
+    }
     // Make a copy of the object, so we don't mutate the incoming data.
     const originalObject = object;
     object = transformObjectACL(object);

src/RestWrite.js+5 −18 modified

@@ -65,8 +65,6 @@ function RestWrite(config, auth, className, query, data, originalData, clientSDK
     }
   }
 
-  this.checkProhibitedKeywords(data);
-
   // When the operation is complete, this.response may have several
   // fields.
   // response: the actual data to be returned
@@ -288,7 +286,11 @@ RestWrite.prototype.runBeforeSaveTrigger = function () {
           delete this.data.objectId;
         }
       }
-      this.checkProhibitedKeywords(this.data);
+      try {
+        Utils.checkProhibitedKeywords(this.config, this.data);
+      } catch (error) {
+        throw new Parse.Error(Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME, error);
+      }
     });
 };
 
@@ -1730,20 +1732,5 @@ RestWrite.prototype._updateResponseWithData = function (response, data) {
   return response;
 };
 
-RestWrite.prototype.checkProhibitedKeywords = function (data) {
-  if (this.config.requestKeywordDenylist) {
-    // Scan request data for denied keywords
-    for (const keyword of this.config.requestKeywordDenylist) {
-      const match = Utils.objectContainsKeyValue(data, keyword.key, keyword.value);
-      if (match) {
-        throw new Parse.Error(
-          Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME,
-          `Prohibited keyword in request data: ${JSON.stringify(keyword)}.`
-        );
-      }
-    }
-  }
-};
-
 export default RestWrite;
 module.exports = RestWrite;

src/Routers/FilesRouter.js+6 −15 modified

@@ -173,22 +173,13 @@ export class FilesRouter {
     const base64 = req.body.toString('base64');
     const file = new Parse.File(filename, { base64 }, contentType);
     const { metadata = {}, tags = {} } = req.fileData || {};
-    if (req.config && req.config.requestKeywordDenylist) {
+    try {
       // Scan request data for denied keywords
-      for (const keyword of req.config.requestKeywordDenylist) {
-        const match =
-          Utils.objectContainsKeyValue(metadata, keyword.key, keyword.value) ||
-          Utils.objectContainsKeyValue(tags, keyword.key, keyword.value);
-        if (match) {
-          next(
-            new Parse.Error(
-              Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME,
-              `Prohibited keyword in request data: ${JSON.stringify(keyword)}.`
-            )
-          );
-          return;
-        }
-      }
+      Utils.checkProhibitedKeywords(config, metadata);
+      Utils.checkProhibitedKeywords(config, tags);
+    } catch (error) {
+      next(new Parse.Error(Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME, error));
+      return;
     }
     file.setTags(tags);
     file.setMetadata(metadata);

src/Utils.js+12 −0 modified

@@ -358,6 +358,18 @@ class Utils {
     }
     return false;
   }
+
+  static checkProhibitedKeywords(config, data) {
+    if (config?.requestKeywordDenylist) {
+      // Scan request data for denied keywords
+      for (const keyword of config.requestKeywordDenylist) {
+        const match = Utils.objectContainsKeyValue(data, keyword.key, keyword.value);
+        if (match) {
+          throw `Prohibited keyword in request data: ${JSON.stringify(keyword)}.`;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 module.exports = Utils;

3dd99dd80e27

https://github.com/parse-community/parse-serverManuelJun 28, 2023via ghsa

commit

6 files changed · +101 −34

.eslintrc.json+3 −0 modified

@@ -25,5 +25,8 @@
         "space-infix-ops": "error",
         "no-useless-escape": "off",
         "require-atomic-updates": "off"
+    },
+    "globals": {
+        "Parse": true
     }
 }

spec/vulnerabilities.spec.js+65 −0 modified

@@ -138,6 +138,71 @@ describe('Vulnerabilities', () => {
       );
     });
 
+    it('denies creating global config with polluted data', async () => {
+      const headers = {
+        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+        'X-Parse-Application-Id': 'test',
+        'X-Parse-Master-Key': 'test',
+      };
+      const params = {
+        method: 'PUT',
+        url: 'http://localhost:8378/1/config',
+        json: true,
+        body: {
+          params: {
+            welcomeMesssage: 'Welcome to Parse',
+            foo: { _bsontype: 'Code', code: 'shell' },
+          },
+        },
+        headers,
+      };
+      const response = await request(params).catch(e => e);
+      expect(response.status).toBe(400);
+      const text = JSON.parse(response.text);
+      expect(text.code).toBe(Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME);
+      expect(text.error).toBe(
+        'Prohibited keyword in request data: {"key":"_bsontype","value":"Code"}.'
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('denies direct database write wih prohibited keys', async () => {
+      const Config = require('../lib/Config');
+      const config = Config.get(Parse.applicationId);
+      const user = {
+        objectId: '1234567890',
+        username: 'hello',
+        password: 'pass',
+        _session_token: 'abc',
+        foo: { _bsontype: 'Code', code: 'shell' },
+      };
+      await expectAsync(config.database.create('_User', user)).toBeRejectedWith(
+        new Parse.Error(
+          Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME,
+          'Prohibited keyword in request data: {"key":"_bsontype","value":"Code"}.'
+        )
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('denies direct database update wih prohibited keys', async () => {
+      const Config = require('../lib/Config');
+      const config = Config.get(Parse.applicationId);
+      const user = {
+        objectId: '1234567890',
+        username: 'hello',
+        password: 'pass',
+        _session_token: 'abc',
+        foo: { _bsontype: 'Code', code: 'shell' },
+      };
+      await expectAsync(
+        config.database.update('_User', { _id: user.objectId }, user)
+      ).toBeRejectedWith(
+        new Parse.Error(
+          Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME,
+          'Prohibited keyword in request data: {"key":"_bsontype","value":"Code"}.'
+        )
+      );
+    });
+
     it('denies creating a hook with polluted data', async () => {
       const express = require('express');
       const bodyParser = require('body-parser');

src/Controllers/DatabaseController.js+10 −0 modified

@@ -475,6 +475,11 @@ class DatabaseController {
     validateOnly: boolean = false,
     validSchemaController: SchemaController.SchemaController
   ): Promise<any> {
+    try {
+      Utils.checkProhibitedKeywords(this.options, update);
+    } catch (error) {
+      return Promise.reject(new Parse.Error(Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME, error));
+    }
     const originalQuery = query;
     const originalUpdate = update;
     // Make a copy of the object, so we don't mutate the incoming data.
@@ -805,6 +810,11 @@ class DatabaseController {
     validateOnly: boolean = false,
     validSchemaController: SchemaController.SchemaController
   ): Promise<any> {
+    try {
+      Utils.checkProhibitedKeywords(this.options, object);
+    } catch (error) {
+      return Promise.reject(new Parse.Error(Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME, error));
+    }
     // Make a copy of the object, so we don't mutate the incoming data.
     const originalObject = object;
     object = transformObjectACL(object);

src/RestWrite.js+5 −18 modified

@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ function RestWrite(config, auth, className, query, data, originalData, clientSDK
     }
   }
 
-  this.checkProhibitedKeywords(data);
-
   // When the operation is complete, this.response may have several
   // fields.
   // response: the actual data to be returned
@@ -298,7 +296,11 @@ RestWrite.prototype.runBeforeSaveTrigger = function () {
           delete this.data.objectId;
         }
       }
-      this.checkProhibitedKeywords(this.data);
+      try {
+        Utils.checkProhibitedKeywords(this.config, this.data);
+      } catch (error) {
+        throw new Parse.Error(Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME, error);
+      }
     });
 };
 
@@ -1756,20 +1758,5 @@ RestWrite.prototype._updateResponseWithData = function (response, data) {
   return response;
 };
 
-RestWrite.prototype.checkProhibitedKeywords = function (data) {
-  if (this.config.requestKeywordDenylist) {
-    // Scan request data for denied keywords
-    for (const keyword of this.config.requestKeywordDenylist) {
-      const match = Utils.objectContainsKeyValue(data, keyword.key, keyword.value);
-      if (match) {
-        throw new Parse.Error(
-          Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME,
-          `Prohibited keyword in request data: ${JSON.stringify(keyword)}.`
-        );
-      }
-    }
-  }
-};
-
 export default RestWrite;
 module.exports = RestWrite;

src/Routers/FilesRouter.js+6 −16 modified

@@ -175,22 +175,12 @@ export class FilesRouter {
     const base64 = req.body.toString('base64');
     const file = new Parse.File(filename, { base64 }, contentType);
     const { metadata = {}, tags = {} } = req.fileData || {};
-    if (req.config && req.config.requestKeywordDenylist) {
-      // Scan request data for denied keywords
-      for (const keyword of req.config.requestKeywordDenylist) {
-        const match =
-          Utils.objectContainsKeyValue(metadata, keyword.key, keyword.value) ||
-          Utils.objectContainsKeyValue(tags, keyword.key, keyword.value);
-        if (match) {
-          next(
-            new Parse.Error(
-              Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME,
-              `Prohibited keyword in request data: ${JSON.stringify(keyword)}.`
-            )
-          );
-          return;
-        }
-      }
+    try {
+      Utils.checkProhibitedKeywords(config, metadata);
+      Utils.checkProhibitedKeywords(config, tags);
+    } catch (error) {
+      next(new Parse.Error(Parse.Error.INVALID_KEY_NAME, error));
+      return;
     }
     file.setTags(tags);
     file.setMetadata(metadata);

src/Utils.js+12 −0 modified

@@ -358,6 +358,18 @@ class Utils {
     }
     return false;
   }
+
+  static checkProhibitedKeywords(config, data) {
+    if (config?.requestKeywordDenylist) {
+      // Scan request data for denied keywords
+      for (const keyword of config.requestKeywordDenylist) {
+        const match = Utils.objectContainsKeyValue(data, keyword.key, keyword.value);
+        if (match) {
+          throw `Prohibited keyword in request data: ${JSON.stringify(keyword)}.`;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 module.exports = Utils;

Vulnerability mechanics

Generated by null/stub on May 9, 2026. Inputs: CWE entries + fix-commit diffs from this CVE's patches. Citations validated against bundle.

References

github.com/advisories/GHSA-462x-c3jw-7vr6ghsaADVISORY
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-36475ghsaADVISORY
github.com/parse-community/parse-server/commit/3dd99dd80e27e5e1d99b42844180546d90c7aa90ghsax_refsource_MISCWEB
github.com/parse-community/parse-server/commit/5fad2928fb8ee17304abcdcf259932f827d8c81fghsax_refsource_MISCWEB
github.com/parse-community/parse-server/issues/8674ghsax_refsource_MISCWEB
github.com/parse-community/parse-server/issues/8675ghsax_refsource_MISCWEB
github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/5.5.2ghsax_refsource_MISCWEB
github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/6.2.1ghsax_refsource_MISCWEB
github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-462x-c3jw-7vr6ghsax_refsource_CONFIRMWEB

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cvss	0.585
epss	0.008
exploit	0.000
kev	0.000
patch	-0.070
ransomware	0.000