CVE-2026-105849 in Payload
Summary
by MITRE • 10/06/2026
Payload is a free and open source headless content management system. In versions from 3.0.0 before 3.90.0 and canary versions before 4.0.0-canary.34, users with ordinary read access to other authentication documents in a collection with useAPIKey enabled can obtain active API keys and exercise the target accounts' permissions until those keys are rotated or disabled. This issue is fixed in versions 3.90.0 and 4.0.0-canary.34.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2026
The vulnerability identified within Payload CMS, specifically affecting versions prior to 3.90.0 and canary releases before 4.0.0-canary.34, represents a critical authorization bypass rooted in the misconfiguration or inherent design flaw of its API key management system when combined with standard read permissions. Payload is an open-source headless content management system that allows developers to build custom APIs and admin panels rapidly. The core issue arises from how authentication documents are structured and accessed within collections where the useAPIKey feature is enabled. In these affected versions, the access control logic fails to properly isolate API key data from other sensitive user attributes when a user possesses basic read privileges on an authentication collection. This architectural weakness allows any authenticated user with ordinary read access to view not just their own credentials but also those of other users within the same collection context.
From a technical perspective, this flaw constitutes an Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR) or Broken Access Control scenario where the application does not enforce proper ownership checks on sensitive fields such as API keys. When useAPIKey is enabled, Payload generates and stores unique tokens that serve as long-lived authentication mechanisms for server-to-server communication or programmatic access. Due to the insufficient granularity of permission controls in earlier versions, a user with read-only rights can query the database directly through exposed endpoints or internal methods to retrieve these active API keys belonging to other accounts. This effectively bypasses the intended separation between administrative privileges and standard user roles, granting low-privilege users the ability to escalate their access significantly without needing valid login credentials for those target accounts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it leads directly to unauthorized data exposure and potential full account compromise. An attacker who obtains active API keys can impersonate legitimate users or administrators, depending on the permissions associated with those specific keys. This enables the extraction of sensitive content stored in the CMS, modification of records, deletion of data, or execution of administrative actions that should be restricted. Since API keys often persist for extended periods and may possess broader scopes than standard session tokens, the window of exploitation remains open until an administrator manually detects the breach and rotates or disables the compromised keys. This creates a significant risk to data integrity and confidentiality, particularly in environments where Payload CMS manages critical business logic or sensitive customer information.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Improper Access Control and CWE-798 Use of Hard-coded Credentials if the API keys are treated as static secrets that have been exposed through improper access mechanisms. In terms of MITRE ATT&CK, this behavior maps to T1078 Valid Accounts, specifically the aspect where attackers leverage legitimate credentials obtained from other sources rather than stealing them via phishing or brute force. The ability to read another user's API key is a form of credential harvesting facilitated by poor authorization checks. To mitigate this risk, organizations must upgrade immediately to Payload CMS version 3.90.0 or later, which includes patches for these access control logic errors. Additionally, administrators should audit their current installations if they are running canary versions prior to 4.0.0-canary.34 and rotate all existing API keys as a precautionary measure even after upgrading, ensuring that no previously compromised tokens remain active in the system. Implementing strict field-level permissions within Payload CMS configurations is also recommended to prevent future occurrences of similar access control failures.