CVE-2025-64526
mediumpriority · track · 21EPSS 0.005 · 42 %ileDEEUUSEPSS · scored 2026-10-27
Strapi is an open source headless content management system. In Strapi versions prior to 5.45.0, the rate-limit middleware in the users-permissions plugin derived its rate-limit key in part from `ctx.request.body.email`, including on routes whose body schema does not contain an `email` field (`/auth/local`, `/auth/reset-password`, `/auth/change-password`). An unauthenticated attacker could include an arbitrary `email` value in the request body to obtain a fresh rate-limit key per request, effectively bypassing per-IP throttling on those routes and enabling high-volume credential brute-force, password-reset code brute-force, and credential-stuffing attempts. The rate-limit key was constructed as `${userIdentifier}:${requestPath}:${ctx.request.ip}`, where `userIdentifier = ctx.request.body.email`. On routes that legitimately use email as their identifier (e.g. `/auth/forgot-password`, `/auth/local/register`), this scoping is correct. On routes that use a different identifier (`identifier` for login, `code` for password reset, `currentPassword` for password change), the email field was not part of the route contract, but the middleware still incorporated it into the key, allowing a caller to rotate the value and obtain a unique key on every request. The patch in version 5.45.0 maintains an allow-list of routes that legitimately key on the email field and excludes that key component on every other route the middleware is mounted on. OAuth callback paths (`/connect/*`) are treated identifier-less. On routes outside the allow-list, the middleware now falls back to a fixed identifier-less key, ensuring per-IP throttling remains effective even when the request body is attacker-controlled.
cvss
Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.
base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode⚠ sources disagree · low–medium · 2.7–6.9
ssvc
A stakeholder decision — act, attend, or track — from exploitation and impact.
weaknesses
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affected products (6)
Products and version ranges known to be affected.
advisories (2)
Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.
- WID-SEC-W-2026-1552Strapi: Mehrere SchwachstellenDeutsch2026-05-14csaf · cert_bundDE
Ein Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in Strapi ausnutzen, um einen Denial-of-Service-Zustand herbeizuführen, Administratorrechte zu erlangen, Daten zu manipulieren, vertrauliche Informationen offenzulegen oder Sicherheitsmaßnahmen zu umgehen.
- GHSA-7mqx-wwh4-f9fwStrapi has a rate limit bypass on users-permissions plugin via attacker-controlled email keying2026-05-13ghsa · osvUS
### Summary of CVE-2025-64526 Vulnerability Details - CVE: CVE-2025-64526 - CVSS v3.1 Vector: `CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N` (6.9 — Medium) - Affected Versions: `@strapi/plugin-users-permissions` <=5.44.0 - How to Patch: Immediately update your Strapi to >=5.45.0 ### Description of CVE-2025-64526 In Strapi versions prior to 5.45.0, the rate-limit middleware in the users-permissions plugin derived its rate-limit key in part from `ctx.request.body.email`, including on routes whose body schema does not contain an `email` field (`/auth/local`, `/auth/reset-password`, `/auth/change-password`). An unauthenticated attacker could include an arbitrary `email` value in the request body to obtain a fresh rate-limit key per request, effectively bypassing per-IP throttling on those routes and enabling high-volume credential brute-force, password-reset code brute-force, and credential-stuffing attempts. The rate-limit key was constructed as `${userIdentifier}:${requestPath}:${ctx.request.ip}`, where `userIdentifier = ctx.request.body.email`. On routes that legitimately use email as their identifier (e.g. `/auth/forgot-password`, `/auth/local/register`), this scoping is correct. On routes that use a different identifier (`identifier` for login, `code` for password reset, `currentPassword` for password change), the email field was not part of the route contract, but the middleware still incorporated it into the key, allowing a caller to rotate the value and obtain a unique key on every request. The patch maintains an allow-list of routes that legitimately key on the email field and excludes that key component on every other route the middleware is mounted on. OAuth callback paths (`/connect/*`) are treated identifier-less. On routes outside the allow-list, the middleware now falls back to a fixed identifier-less key, ensuring per-IP throttling remains effective even when the request body is attacker-controlled. ### IoC's for CVE-2025-64526 Indicators that an instance running an unpatched version may have been exploited: - Unusually high volumes of `POST` requests to `/api/auth/local`, `/api/auth/reset-password`, or `/api/auth/change-password` from a single IP within a 5-minute window without 429 (Too Many Requests) responses - Request bodies on `/api/auth/local` containing both `identifier` AND `email` fields where `email` varies per request. Body shape regex: `"identifier"\s*:\s*"[^"]*",\s*"email"\s*:\s*"[^"]*"` - Request bodies on `/api/auth/reset-password` containing an unexpected `email` field alongside `code`. Body shape regex: `"code"\s*:\s*"[^"]*",.*"email"\s*:` - Server logs showing many distinct rate-limit key prefixes for the same IP+route combination within the rate-limit window - Successful authentication or password reset following hundreds of preceding 401/400 responses from the same IP
also known as (3)
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sources
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references (11)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2025-64526cnnvd
- https://github.com/strapi/strapi/releases/Patchcnnvd
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-64526cnnvd
- https://github.com/strapi/strapi/commit/5e0d243cba9830e6f791de6a94798bcde51468dbenisa_euvd
- https://github.com/strapi/strapi/pull/24818enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/strapi/strapi/releases/tag/v5.45.0enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/strapi/strapi/security/advisories/GHSA-7mqx-wwh4-f9fwenisa_euvd
- https://github.com/strapi/strapi/commit/5e0d243cba9830e6f791de6a94798bcde51468dbPatchnvd
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