CVE-2026-34573

Parse Server is an open source backend that can be deployed to any infrastructure that can run Node.js. Prior to versions 8.6.68 and 9.7.0-alpha.12, the GraphQL query complexity validator can be exploited to cause a denial-of-service by sending a crafted query with binary fan-out fragment spreads. A single unauthenticated request can block the Node.js event loop for seconds, denying service to all concurrent users. This only affects deployments that have enabled the requestComplexity.graphQLDepth or requestComplexity.graphQLFields configuration options. This issue has been patched in versions 8.6.68 and 9.7.0-alpha.12.

Parse Server is an open source backend that can be deployed to any infrastructure that can run Node.js. Prior to versions 8.6.68 and 9.7.0-alpha.12, the GraphQL query complexity validator can be exploited to cause a denial-of-service by sending a crafted query with binary fan-out fragment spreads. A single unauthenticated request can block the Node.js event loop for seconds, denying service to all concurrent users. This only affects deployments that have enabled the requestComplexity.graphQLDepth or requestComplexity.graphQLFields configuration options. This issue has been patched in versions 8.6.68 and 9.7.0-alpha.12.

### Impact The GraphQL query complexity validator can be exploited to cause a denial-of-service by sending a crafted query with binary fan-out fragment spreads. A single unauthenticated request can block the Node.js event loop for seconds, denying service to all concurrent users. This only affects deployments that have enabled the `requestComplexity.graphQLDepth` or `requestComplexity.graphQLFields` configuration options. ### Patches The fix replaces the per-branch fragment traversal with memoized fragment computation, reducing the traversal from exponential O(2^N) to linear O(N) time. Additionally, early termination aborts the traversal as soon as configured limits are exceeded. ### Workarounds Disable GraphQL complexity limits by setting `requestComplexity.graphQLDepth` and `requestComplexity.graphQLFields` to `-1` (the default). ### Resources - GitHub security advisory: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-mfj6-6p54-m98c - Fix Parse Server 9: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/pull/10344 - Fix Parse Server 8: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/pull/10345

### Impact The GraphQL query complexity validator can be exploited to cause a denial-of-service by sending a crafted query with binary fan-out fragment spreads. A single unauthenticated request can block the Node.js event loop for seconds, denying service to all concurrent users. This only affects deployments that have enabled the `requestComplexity.graphQLDepth` or `requestComplexity.graphQLFields` configuration options. ### Patches The fix replaces the per-branch fragment traversal with memoized fragment computation, reducing the traversal from exponential O(2^N) to linear O(N) time. Additionally, early termination aborts the traversal as soon as configured limits are exceeded. ### Workarounds Disable GraphQL complexity limits by setting `requestComplexity.graphQLDepth` and `requestComplexity.graphQLFields` to `-1` (the default). ### Resources - GitHub security advisory: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-mfj6-6p54-m98c - Fix Parse Server 9: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/pull/10344 - Fix Parse Server 8: https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/pull/10345