VDB
KO
MEDIUM

GHSA-wmwx-jr2p-4j4r

parse-server: Relation `$relatedTo` query bypasses `protectedFields` and owning-object ACL

Details

### Impact

A relation query using the `$relatedTo` operator could read the membership of a `Relation` field even when that field was hidden from the requesting client by `protectedFields`, and even when the object owning the relation was not readable by the client under its ACL or class-level permissions. The request requires only the public API credentials that Parse clients normally carry — no user session, master key, or Cloud Code is needed.

As a result, an unauthenticated client who knows or obtains the owning object's `objectId` could enumerate the objects linked through a protected relation, or combine the operator with an `objectId` constraint to use it as a membership oracle — confirming whether a specific object is linked to a private parent. This affects applications that rely on `protectedFields` or object ACLs to keep `Relation` membership confidential, such as private group memberships, block lists, or account-to-resource associations.

### Patches

The relation query path now authorizes `$relatedTo` against the owning object before reading the relation join table, using the caller's authentication context. The relation key is checked against the owning class's `protectedFields` (the query is rejected if the key is protected), and the owning object must be readable by the caller under its class-level permissions, ACL, and pointer permissions; otherwise the relation returns no results. Master and maintenance requests are unaffected. The check is applied consistently whether `$relatedTo` is used at the top level or nested within `$or`, `$and`, or `$nor`.

### Workarounds

There is no complete workaround without upgrading. As mitigation, applications can avoid exposing sensitive membership through `Relation` fields to untrusted clients, or enforce access on the queried class in a `beforeFind` trigger.

Are you affected?

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Affected packages

npm / parse-server
Introduced in: 9.0.0 Fixed in: 9.9.1-alpha.6
Fix npm install parse-server@9.9.1-alpha.6
npm / parse-server
Introduced in: 0 Fixed in: 8.6.80
Fix npm install parse-server@8.6.80

References