# CVE-2025-64526: Strapi users-permissions plugin rate limit bypass in auth routes

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-64526-strapi-users-permissions-plugin-rate-limit-bypass-in-auth-routes  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-05-14. Updated: 2026-05-16  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2025-64526 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.3 · Published 2026-05-14

Strapi is an open-source content management system used to manage and deliver digital content. A security flaw in its user permissions plugin allows attackers to bypass rate limits on sensitive pages like login and password reset. This could enable malicious actors to perform high-volume automated attacks, such as guessing user passwords or reset codes, potentially leading to unauthorized account access.

Technologies: [@strapi/plugin-users-permissions (npm)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/strapi-plugin-users-permissions), [Strapi Plugin-Users-Permissions](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/plugin-users-permissions), [Strapi Users & Permissions Plugin](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/users-permissions-plugin). Vendors: [npm](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/npm), [Strapi](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/strapi).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2025-64526 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2025-64526 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2025-64526?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.3, published 14 May 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** @strapi/plugin-users-permissions (npm) <= 5.44.0, SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=5.45.0; Strapi Plugin-Users-Permissions <= 5.44.0; Strapi Users & Permissions Plugin <= 5.44.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2025-64526?** Yes. @strapi/plugin-users-permissions (npm): upgrade to 5.45.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2025-64526 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2025-64526?** Check whether you run @strapi/plugin-users-permissions (npm), Strapi Plugin-Users-Permissions or Strapi Users & Permissions Plugin 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

- @strapi/plugin-users-permissions (npm): upgrade to 5.45.0 or later

  ```sh
  npm install @strapi/plugin-users-permissions@5.45.0
  ```


## Technical details

A rate-limit bypass exists in the Strapi users-permissions plugin due to improper rate-limit key generation. The middleware incorrectly incorporated an 'email' field from the request body into the rate-limit key even for routes where 'email' is not a valid or required field (such as /auth/local or /auth/reset-password). By providing a unique, arbitrary email value in each request, an unauthenticated attacker can generate a fresh rate-limit key, effectively neutralizing per-IP throttling. This enables large-scale credential stuffing and brute-force attacks against login and password reset endpoints. The vulnerability is addressed in version 5.45.0 by implementing an allow-list for routes that legitimately use the email field as an identifier.

## Affected products

- Strapi Strapi plugin-users-permissions < 5.45.0

## Identifiers

- CVE-2025-64526
- GHSA-7mqx-wwh4-f9fw

## Timeline

- 2025-11-10: other: Vulnerability reported and fix initiated in PR #24818
- 2026-05-06: patched: Version 5.45.0 released
- 2026-05-14: advisory: NVD and GitHub Security Advisory published

## References

- [https://github.com/strapi/strapi/commit/5e0d243cba9830e6f791de6a94798bcde51468db](https://github.com/strapi/strapi/commit/5e0d243cba9830e6f791de6a94798bcde51468db)
- [https://github.com/strapi/strapi/pull/24818](https://github.com/strapi/strapi/pull/24818)
- [https://github.com/strapi/strapi/releases/tag/v5.45.0](https://github.com/strapi/strapi/releases/tag/v5.45.0)
- [https://github.com/strapi/strapi/security/advisories/GHSA-7mqx-wwh4-f9fw](https://github.com/strapi/strapi/security/advisories/GHSA-7mqx-wwh4-f9fw)

## Related threats

- [Strapi insufficient session invalidation during password reset](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-22706-strapi-insufficient-session-invalidation-during-password-reset)
- [Strapi users-permissions open redirect and token leakage](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2024-34065-strapi-users-permissions-open-redirect-and-token-leakage)
- [Strapi authorization bypass in user registration API](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2023-39345-strapi-authorization-bypass-in-user-registration-api)
- [Strapi rate limit bypass in admin login](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2023-38507-strapi-rate-limit-bypass-in-admin-login)
- [Strapi Users-Permissions plugin RCE via Server-Side Template Injection](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2023-22621-strapi-users-permissions-plugin-rce-via-server-side-template)