CVE-2025-64526 — Strapi has a rate limit bypass on users-permissions plugin via attacker-controlled email keying
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.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.5% (30-day exploitation probability)+6
- Technical severity (medium)+3
- Automatable exploitation (SSVC)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Npm @strapi/plugin-users-permissions: fixed in version 5.45.0 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Strapi @strapi/plugin-users-permissions, Strapi Strapi, Npm @strapi/plugin-users-permissions).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (authentication), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strapi | @strapi/plugin-users-permissions | version < 5.45.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Strapi | Strapi | < 5.45.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Strapi | Strapi | version < 5.45.0 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Npm | @strapi/plugin-users-permissions | ≤ 5.44.0 | Vulnerable | GitHub Security Advisories |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.9 | CVSS 4.0 | Medium | — | — | security-advisories@github.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 6.9 | CVSS 4.0 | Medium | — | — | GitHub_M via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| 5.3 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 3.9 | 1.4 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
CWE-307 · Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.49%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Review authentication logs: logins without MFA, anomalous sessions and recently created accounts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · npm/@strapi/plugin-users-permissions
- Affected products added · strapi/strapi, strapi/@strapi/plugin-users-permissions
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 5.3
- Source status changed · → Analyzed
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× References added · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
6 on the record
- github.com/strapi/strapi/security/advisories/GHSA-7mqx-wwh4-f9fw
- github.com/strapi/strapi/releases/tag/v5.45.0
- github.com/strapi/strapi/commit/5e0d243cba9830e6f791de6a94798bcde51468db
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-64526
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-7mqx-wwh4-f9fw
- github.com/strapi/strapi/pull/24818
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Medium CVE-2026-108114 Strapi 5.47.0 through 5.57.0 Improper Authorization via Admin API Token Field Permissions 5d
- Medium CVE-2026-57997 Strapi users-permissions - JWT Algorithm Confusion via Missing Algorithm Configuration Jun 29, 2026
- High CVE-2026-27886 Strapi may leak sensitive data via relational filtering due to lack of query sanitization May 14, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-22706 Strapi: Password Reset Does Not Revoke Existing Refresh Sessions May 14, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-22707 Strapi Upload Plugin MIME Validation Bypass via Content API May 14, 2026
- High CVE-2026-22599 Strapi Vulnerable to SQL Injection in Content Type Builder May 14, 2026
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2025-64526 is "Strapi has a rate limit bypass on users-permissions plugin via attacker-controlled email keying", rated Medium. It affects @strapi/plugin-users-permissions (Strapi); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.3 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.49% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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