---
title: "CVE-2026-34751: Payload: Pre-Authentication Account Takeover via Parameter Injection in Password Recovery"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-34751/
description: "CVE-2026-34751 (payload (npm)): Payload is a free and open source headless content management system. Prior to version 3.79.1 in @payloadcms/graphql and…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2026-04-01
date_modified: 2026-04-08
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2026-34751"
kev: false
cvss: 9.1
epss: 0.00434
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2026-34751: Payload: Pre-Authentication Account Takeover via Parameter Injection in Password Recovery

**Signal:** Critical and remotely reachable. No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- 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.

## Affected packages

- npm `payload` < 3.79.1 → fixed: 3.79.1
- npm `@payloadcms/graphql` < 3.79.1 → fixed: 3.79.1

## Affected products (CVE record)

- payloadcms payload: < 3.79.1

## Severity

- GitHub_M CVSS 3.1: 9.1 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`
- GitHub CVSS 3.1: 9.1 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`

## Exploitation

- 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.

## Sources

- [GitHub Advisory GHSA-hp5w-3hxx-vmwf](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-hp5w-3hxx-vmwf)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2026-34751](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-34751)
- [NVD entry CVE-2026-34751](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-34751)
- [github.com](https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/security/advisories/GHSA-hp5w-3hxx-vmwf)
- [github.com](https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/releases/tag/v3.79.1)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-34751/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt