CVE-2026-105849
Payload: API key disclosure through ordinary document reads
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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Payload: API key disclosure through ordinary document reads
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-105849- CVSS 4.0
- 7.7 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-201, CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-93492
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.
- Record
EUVD-2026-93492- CVSS 4.0
- 7.7 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-238x-w2j9-gwwr
Payload vulnerable to API key disclosure through ordinary document reads
Impact
Users with read access to other user documents could access their active API keys. An exposed key grants the target account’s permissions until rotated or disabled.
You are affected if:
- An authentication collection enables
useAPIKey. - Users have read access to other user documents containing active API keys.
Patches
Users should upgrade payload packages to >= 3.90.0 or >= 4.0.0-canary.34.
Workarounds
Disable useAPIKey or restrict users to reading only their own authentication document. Rotate any API key that may have been exposed.
- Record
GHSA-238x-w2j9-gwwr- CVSS 4.0
- 7.7 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-201, CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-105849- CVSS 4.0
- 7.7 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 8.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-201, CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Payload: API key disclosure through ordinary document reads
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-105849- CVSS 4.0
- 7.7 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-201, CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-238x-w2j9-gwwr
Payload vulnerable to API key disclosure through ordinary document reads
Impact
Users with read access to other user documents could access their active API keys. An exposed key grants the target account’s permissions until rotated or disabled.
You are affected if:
- An authentication collection enables
useAPIKey. - Users have read access to other user documents containing active API keys.
Patches
Users should upgrade payload packages to >= 3.90.0 or >= 4.0.0-canary.34.
Workarounds
Disable useAPIKey or restrict users to reading only their own authentication document. Rotate any API key that may have been exposed.
- Record
GHSA-238x-w2j9-gwwr- CVSS 4.0
- 7.7 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-201, CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-105849 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.7) in Payloadcms Payload, published October 6, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.30%, the 22nd percentile. Fixed in payload 3.90.0.
References
github.com/payloadcms/payload/security/advisories/GHSA-238x-w2j9-gwwr
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-105849