CVE-2022-31112 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting parse-community's parse-server, an open-source backend framework widely used for building applications with Node.js infrastructure. The vulnerability arises in the LiveQuery feature of parse-server, which is designed to provide real-time data synchronization between the backend and clients. In affected versions (all versions prior to 4.10.13 and versions from 5.0.0 up to but not including 5.2.4), the LiveQueryController fails to properly filter out protected fields from the data sent to clients. Protected fields typically contain sensitive information that should not be exposed to unauthorized users. Due to this flaw, sensitive data that should remain confidential can be inadvertently transmitted to clients subscribing to LiveQuery updates, thereby exposing it to unauthorized actors. The issue stems from improper enforcement of access controls within the LiveQuery data response mechanism. The vendor has addressed this vulnerability by updating the LiveQueryController to remove protected fields from client responses. For users unable to upgrade immediately, a recommended workaround is to implement the Parse.Cloud.afterLiveQueryEvent hook to manually strip protected fields from outgoing data. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the vulnerability represents a significant risk of sensitive data leakage if exploited. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-200, which pertains to the exposure of sensitive information to unauthorized actors.

For European organizations utilizing parse-server, particularly those deploying real-time applications that handle sensitive or personal data, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized data disclosure. Exposure of protected fields could include personally identifiable information (PII), authentication tokens, or other confidential business data, potentially violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. This could lead to reputational damage, regulatory fines, and loss of customer trust. The real-time nature of LiveQuery means that sensitive data could be continuously leaked during active sessions, increasing the window of exposure. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and public services—where sensitive data is prevalent—are especially at risk. Additionally, attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gather intelligence for further attacks or social engineering. While exploitation does not require authentication or user interaction, it does require the attacker to subscribe to LiveQuery updates, which may be possible in applications with weak access controls or public subscriptions. The scope of affected systems includes any parse-server deployments running vulnerable versions, which may be embedded in various SaaS platforms, internal tools, or customer-facing applications across Europe.

1. Immediate Upgrade: Organizations should prioritize upgrading parse-server to version 4.10.13 or later, or to versions 5.2.4 and above, where the vulnerability is patched. 2. Implement AfterLiveQueryEvent Hook: For environments where immediate upgrade is not feasible, implement the Parse.Cloud.afterLiveQueryEvent hook to manually remove protected fields from LiveQuery responses, ensuring sensitive data is not transmitted. 3. Access Control Review: Conduct a thorough review of LiveQuery subscription permissions to ensure that only authorized clients can subscribe to sensitive data streams. 4. Data Minimization: Limit the use of protected fields in LiveQuery subscriptions where possible, reducing the amount of sensitive data exposed in real-time updates. 5. Monitoring and Logging: Enhance logging around LiveQuery subscriptions and data transmissions to detect unusual subscription patterns or data access that could indicate exploitation attempts. 6. Security Awareness: Educate developers and DevOps teams about this vulnerability and secure coding practices related to real-time data exposure. 7. Incident Response Preparation: Prepare incident response plans to quickly address any suspected data leakage incidents stemming from this vulnerability.