The application enables features.authorization and defines a root operation type (Query/Mutation) annotated with @authentication that also contains one or more custom-resolver fields carrying their own, stricter @authentication rule.
@neo4j/graphql from 5.2.0 until the patched versions fails to enforce field-level @authentication rules on root custom-resolver fields when a type-level @authentication rule is also present on the same operation type. When both a type-level @authentication (on Query/Mutation) and a field-level @authentication (on a root custom-resolver field within that type) are declared, only the type-level rule is evaluated and the field-level rule is silently discarded. As a result a stricter per-field requirement — such as an admin-role JWT claim (jwt: { roles_INCLUDES: \"admin\" }) — is never checked, and any client that satisfies the coarser type-level requirement can invoke the more-restricted field. No token forgery is involved: a legitimately issued, correctly signed non-admin token (e.g. roles: [\"user\"]) is sufficient."}],"value":"@neo4j/graphql from 5.2.0 until the patched versions fails to enforce field-level @authentication rules on root custom-resolver fields when a type-level @authentication rule is also present on the same operation type. When both a type-level @authentication (on Query/Mutation) and a field-level @authentication (on a root custom-resolver field within that type) are declared, only the type-level rule is evaluated and the field-level rule is silently discarded. As a result a stricter per-field requirement — such as an admin-role JWT claim (jwt: { roles_INCLUDES: \"admin\" }) — is never checked, and any client that satisfies the coarser type-level requirement can invoke the more-restricted field. No token forgery is involved: a legitimately issued, correctly signed non-admin token (e.g. roles: [\"user\"]) is sufficient."}],"impacts":[{"capecId":"CAPEC-233","descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"CAPEC-233 Privilege Escalation"}]}],"metrics":[{"cvssV4_0":{"Automatable":"NOT_DEFINED","Recovery":"NOT_DEFINED","Safety":"NOT_DEFINED","attackComplexity":"LOW","attackRequirements":"PRESENT","attackVector":"NETWORK","baseScore":7.6,"baseSeverity":"HIGH","exploitMaturity":"NOT_DEFINED","privilegesRequired":"LOW","providerUrgency":"NOT_DEFINED","subAvailabilityImpact":"NONE","subConfidentialityImpact":"NONE","subIntegrityImpact":"NONE","userInteraction":"NONE","valueDensity":"NOT_DEFINED","vectorString":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N","version":"4.0","vulnAvailabilityImpact":"NONE","vulnConfidentialityImpact":"HIGH","vulnIntegrityImpact":"HIGH","vulnerabilityResponseEffort":"NOT_DEFINED"},"format":"CVSS","scenarios":[{"lang":"en","value":"GENERAL"}]}],"problemTypes":[{"descriptions":[{"cweId":"CWE-639","description":"CWE-639 Authorization bypass through User-Controlled key","lang":"en","type":"CWE"}]}],"providerMetadata":{"dateUpdated":"2026-08-19T16:02:04.528Z","orgId":"3b236295-4ccd-4a1f-a1c1-a72eecc8d7b6","shortName":"Neo4j"},"references":[{"tags":["third-party-advisory"],"url":"https://github.com/neo4j/graphql/security/advisories/GHSA-82m8-p9px-c3x5"},{"tags":["vendor-advisory"],"url":"https://neo4j.com/security/CVE-2026-19869"}],"solutions":[{"lang":"en","supportingMedia":[{"base64":false,"type":"text/html","value":"Upgrade the library to 7.6.0+ or 5.12.15+. v6 is end-of-life and will not receive a fix. v5 releases prior to 5.2.0 are not affected.
For users who cannot upgrade immediately: do not combine a type-level @authentication with a field-level @authentication on the same root operation type. Because the type-level annotation is what shadows the field-level rule, removing it restores correct enforcement — instead apply a complete @authentication directive to each root field individually, including the full stricter rule on the sensitive field. Alternatively, enforce the stricter requirement inside the custom resolver's own code.