CVE-2024-27298: Parse Server PostgreSQL SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2024-27298 Overview

CVE-2024-27298 is a critical SQL injection vulnerability affecting Parse Server, a popular open-source backend framework for Node.js / Express applications. When Parse Server is configured to use PostgreSQL as its database, attackers can exploit improper input validation to inject malicious SQL commands, potentially leading to unauthorized data access and manipulation.

Critical Impact

This SQL injection vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote attackers to bypass security controls and directly interact with the underlying PostgreSQL database, potentially extracting sensitive data or modifying database contents without authorization.

Affected Products

• Parse Server versions prior to 6.5.0 (Node.js)
• Parse Server versions 6.5.0-alpha1, 6.5.0-alpha2, and 6.5.0-beta1
• Parse Server versions 7.0.0-alpha1 through 7.0.0-alpha19

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-03-01 - CVE-2024-27298 published to NVD
• 2025-12-03 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-27298

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) exists in Parse Server when configured with a PostgreSQL database backend. The vulnerability allows attackers to craft malicious requests that bypass the application's query construction logic, enabling direct injection of SQL statements into database queries. The flaw stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input before it is incorporated into SQL queries executed against the PostgreSQL database.

The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely without any authentication requirements. An attacker can leverage this flaw to extract sensitive information from the database, modify or delete data, or potentially escalate their access depending on the database permissions configured for the Parse Server application.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in inadequate input validation and parameterization within Parse Server's PostgreSQL adapter. User-controlled data is incorporated into SQL query strings without proper sanitization or the use of prepared statements, allowing attackers to escape the intended query context and inject arbitrary SQL commands.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can send specially crafted HTTP requests to a Parse Server endpoint that processes user input through vulnerable query paths. When Parse Server constructs the database query using this unsanitized input, the injected SQL commands are executed directly against the PostgreSQL database.

The vulnerability specifically affects the interaction between Parse Server and PostgreSQL databases. Parse Server instances using MongoDB or other database backends are not affected by this particular vulnerability.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-27298

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed API requests to Parse Server endpoints containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, semicolons, or SQL keywords
• Database logs showing unexpected or unauthorized SQL queries that deviate from normal Parse Server query patterns
• Evidence of data exfiltration or unauthorized database modifications in PostgreSQL audit logs

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block common SQL injection patterns in incoming requests to Parse Server endpoints
• Enable PostgreSQL query logging and monitor for suspicious query patterns, including UNION SELECT statements, time-based injection attempts, or error-based extraction techniques
• Implement application-level logging to capture and analyze API request payloads for injection attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor Parse Server application logs for error messages indicating SQL syntax errors, which may indicate ongoing injection attempts
• Set up alerts for unusual database query volumes or patterns that may indicate automated exploitation tools
• Track network traffic to Parse Server instances for anomalous request patterns or payloads

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-27298

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Parse Server to version 6.5.0 or 7.0.0-alpha.20 or later immediately
• If immediate upgrade is not possible, consider temporarily switching to MongoDB as the database backend until patching is complete
• Review database access logs for any indicators of prior exploitation
• Restrict network access to Parse Server instances to trusted IP ranges where feasible

Patch Information

The Parse Server maintainers have released patches addressing this vulnerability. Organizations should upgrade to one of the following fixed versions:

• Parse Server 6.5.0 - Stable release with the fix applied. See the GitHub Release 6.5.0 for details.
• Parse Server 7.0.0-alpha.20 - Alpha release with the fix applied. See the GitHub Release 7.0.0-alpha.20 for details.

The security fixes are documented in the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-6927-3vr9-fxf2. The relevant commits implementing the fix are available at commit a6e6549 and commit cbefe77.

Workarounds

• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection detection rules in front of Parse Server as a temporary protective measure
• If using PostgreSQL is not strictly required, consider migrating to MongoDB which is not affected by this specific vulnerability
• Implement network segmentation to limit exposure of Parse Server instances to untrusted networks
• Apply principle of least privilege to the database user credentials used by Parse Server to minimize impact of potential exploitation

# Upgrade Parse Server to patched version
npm install parse-server@6.5.0

# Verify the installed version
npm list parse-server