Security Digest · Vulnerability record
CVE-2026-34751: Payload: Pre-Authentication Account Takeover via Parameter Injection in Password Recovery
Payload is a free and open source headless content management system.
CVSS 9.1 Critical EPSS 0.4% · p37
Should you act?
Critical and remotely reachable
No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.
- No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog and CISA’s SSVC assessment records no known exploitation. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
- EPSS 0.4%, percentile 37: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.4% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 37% of all scored CVEs (low). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
- Only applies if your dependency tree includes
payload(npm) < 3.79.1, fixed in 3.79.1;@payloadcms/graphql(npm) < 3.79.1, fixed in 3.79.1. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.
What it is
Payload is a free and open source headless content management system. Prior to version 3.79.1 in @payloadcms/graphql and payload, a vulnerability in the password recovery flow could allow an unauthenticated attacker to perform actions on behalf of a user who initiates a password reset. This issue has been patched in version 3.79.1 for @payloadcms/graphql and payload.
From the GitHub advisory
Impact
A vulnerability in the password recovery flow could allow an unauthenticated attacker to perform actions on behalf of a user who initiates a password reset.
Users are affected if:
- They are using Payload version
Patches
Weakness type: CWE-472, CWE-640.
Product: payload (npm) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2026-04-01
Affected and fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable | First fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| npm | payload | < 3.79.1 | 3.79.1 |
| npm | @payloadcms/graphql | < 3.79.1 | 3.79.1 |
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions (per CVE record) |
|---|---|---|
| payloadcms | payload | < 3.79.1 |
Severity scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub_M | 3.1 | 9.1 Critical | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N |
| GitHub | 3.1 | 9.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N |
- Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
- Attack complexity: low
- Privileges required: none (no login)
- User interaction: none
- Scope: unchanged
CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.
Exploitation and urgency
- CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none, automatable yes, technical impact total.
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.43% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 37.
Timeline
- — CVE record published by GitHub_M
- — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-hp5w-3hxx-vmwf published (critical)
- — CVE record last updated
Sources and references
Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.
Vulnerability records
- GitHub Advisory GHSA-hp5w-3hxx-vmwf github.com
- CVE.org record CVE-2026-34751 cve.org
- NVD entry CVE-2026-34751 nvd.nist.gov
Other references from the CVE record and advisory
- github.com github.com
- github.com github.com