ApostropheCMS is an open-source Node.js content management system. Prior to 4.33.0, the self-service password-change endpoint verifies the current password but does not use the login module’s failed-attempt counter, throttle, delay, or lockout mechanism. An attacker with a valid authenticated session can submit repeated guesses for the current password without receiving a lockout or throttle response. This issue is fixed in version 4.33.0.

Affected: npm: apostrophe

**Summary** The self-service password-change endpoint verifies the current password but does not use the login module’s failed-attempt counter, throttle, delay, or lockout mechanism. An attacker with a valid authenticated session can submit repeated guesses for the current password without receiving a lockout or throttle response.

**Exact source path** packages/apostrophe/modules/@apostrophecms/settings/index.js:621-664

**The password-change route is:** PATCH /api/v1/@apostrophecms/settings/password

**The route calls the password verifier directly through:** await self.handleProtectedSubform(req, subform, req.body );

**The password verification path is:** packages/apostrophe/modules/@apostrophecms/settings/index.js:514-542

**async handlePasswordProtectedSubform(req, subform, payload) { try { await self.apos.user.verifyPassword(req.user, payload.passwordCurrent); } catch (e) { throw self.apos.error( 'forbidden', 'apostrophe:passwordCurrentError', { path: 'passwordCurrent' } ); } return subform; }**

**The verifier itself does not increment the login-attempt cache or enforce a delay:** packages/apostrophe/modules/@apostrophecms/user/index.js:412-487

**By contrast, the login route explicitly calls checkLoginAttempts and addLoginAttempt in:** packages/apostrophe/modules/@apostrophecms/login/index.js:831-929

**Local PoC** The test used a disposable authenticated guest session against:

Request:

``` PATCH /api/v1/@apostrophecms/setting…