# CVE-2025-4643: Payload CMS JWT not invalidated after logout

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-4643-payload-cms-jwt-not-invalidated-after-logout  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2025-08-29. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2025-4643 · Severity: medium · CVSS 4 · Published 2025-08-29

Payload CMS is a popular open-source headless content management system used to build backend applications. The platform failed to invalidate authentication tokens when users logged out, meaning a stolen or intercepted token could be reused by an attacker to impersonate the user for up to 2 hours. This could allow unauthorized access to user accounts and sensitive data managed through the CMS.

Technologies: [@payloadcms/graphql (npm)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/payloadcms-graphql), [@payloadcms/next (npm)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/payloadcms-next), [payload (npm)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/payload), [Payload CMS](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/payload-cms). Vendors: [npm](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/npm), [Payload](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/payload).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2025-4643 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2025-4643 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2025-4643?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 4, published 29 August 2025.

**Which products and versions are affected?** @payloadcms/graphql (npm) SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=3.44.0; @payloadcms/next (npm) SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=3.44.0; payload (npm) SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=3.44.0; Payload CMS all versions before 3.44.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2025-4643?** Yes. @payloadcms/graphql (npm): upgrade to 3.44.0 or later; @payloadcms/next (npm): upgrade to 3.44.0 or later; payload (npm): upgrade to 3.44.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2025-4643 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2025-4643?** Check whether you run @payloadcms/graphql (npm), @payloadcms/next (npm), payload (npm) or one of the others listed at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- @payloadcms/graphql (npm): upgrade to 3.44.0 or later

  ```sh
  npm install @payloadcms/graphql@3.44.0
  ```

- @payloadcms/next (npm): upgrade to 3.44.0 or later

  ```sh
  npm install @payloadcms/next@3.44.0
  ```

- payload (npm): upgrade to 3.44.0 or later

  ```sh
  npm install payload@3.44.0
  ```


## Technical details

The vulnerability stems from Payload's JWT-based authentication mechanism not implementing session invalidation on logout. While Payload uses HTTP-only cookies for token storage, the underlying JWT tokens themselves were never revoked or blacklisted when a user initiated a logout. An attacker who obtained a valid JWT (through token theft, network interception, or other means) could continue using that token to authenticate until the token's expiration time, which defaults to 2 hours but is configurable. The issue affects all versions prior to 3.44.0. The fix introduces optional session management functionality (enabled by default) that tracks and validates sessions server-side, allowing true token invalidation on logout. Legacy stateless JWT authentication remains available as an opt-out feature via `collectionConfig.auth.useSessions: false`.

## Affected products

- Payload CMS payload all versions before 3.44.0
- Payload CMS @payloadcms/next all versions before 3.44.0
- Payload CMS @payloadcms/graphql all versions before 3.44.0

## Identifiers

- CVE-2025-4643
- GHSA-5v66-m237-hwf7

## Timeline

- 2025-08-29: disclosed: Vulnerability advisory published (GHSA-5v66-m237-hwf7)
- 2025-06-27: patched: Fix released in version 3.44.0 with auth sessions feature (commit 26d709d)

## References

- [https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/commit/26d709dda6e512ce347557eaa2057db6e0cbf809](https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/commit/26d709dda6e512ce347557eaa2057db6e0cbf809)
- [https://cert.pl/en/posts/2025/08/CVE-2025-4643](https://cert.pl/en/posts/2025/08/CVE-2025-4643)
- [https://github.com/payloadcms/payload](https://github.com/payloadcms/payload)

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