CVE-2023-48238
JWT Algorithm Confusion in json-web-token library
Published Nov 17, 2023
CVSS 3.1 · 7.5 High
EPSS < 1%
KEV · Not listed
Description
joaquimserafim/json-web-token is a javascript library use to interact with JSON Web Tokens (JWT) which are a compact URL-safe means of representing claims to be transferred between two parties. Versions prior to 4.0.0 are vulnerable to a JWT algorithm confusion attack. On line 86 of the 'index.js' file, the algorithm to use for verifying the signature of the JWT token is taken from the JWT token, which at that point is still unverified and thus shouldn't be trusted. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker needs to craft a malicious JWT token containing the HS256 algorithm, signed with the public RSA key of the victim application. This attack will only work against this library is the RS256 algorithm is in use, however it is a best practice to use that algorithm. Version 4.0.0 fixes the issue.
Affected Products
-
CVE record
-
NVD configurations
-
Red Hat packages
No data
-
OpenCVE enrichment
No data
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| joaquimserafim | json-web-token | affected |
|
No data.
No data available yet.
Remediation
Tracking
Advisories
| Source | ID | Title |
|---|---|---|
 EUVD |
EUVD-2023-2883 | joaquimserafim/json-web-token is a javascript library use to interact with JSON Web Tokens (JWT) which are a compact URL-safe means of representing claims to be transferred between two parties. Affected versions of the json-web-token library are vulnerable to a JWT algorithm confusion attack. On line 86 of the 'index.js' file, the algorithm to use for verifying the signature of the JWT token is taken from the JWT token, which at that point is still unverified and thus shouldn't be trusted. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker needs to craft a malicious JWT token containing the HS256 algorithm, signed with the public RSA key of the victim application. This attack will only work against this library is the RS256 algorithm is in use, however it is a best practice to use that algorithm. |
 Github GHSA |
GHSA-4xw9-cx39-r355 | json-web-token library is vulnerable to a JWT algorithm confusion attack |
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0
Attack Vector Network
Attack Complexity Low
Privileges Required None
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality Impact None
Integrity Impact High
Availability Impact None
User Interaction None
No CVSS v3.0
No CVSS v2
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
Exploit prediction score: < 1% (0.312% probability within 30 days)
Exploitation poc
Automatable yes
Technical Impact partial
References
History
Jun 9, 2026 12:15 AM
Description updated. Added references
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | joaquimserafim/json-web-token is a javascript library use to interact with JSON Web Tokens (JWT) which are a compact URL-safe means of representing claims to be transferred between two parties. Affected versions of the json-web-token library are vulnerable to a JWT algorithm confusion attack. On line 86 of the 'index.js' file, the algorithm to use for verifying the signature of the JWT token is taken from the JWT token, which at that point is still unverified and thus shouldn't be trusted. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker needs to craft a malicious JWT token containing the HS256 algorithm, signed with the public RSA key of the victim application. This attack will only work against this library is the RS256 algorithm is in use, however it is a best practice to use that algorithm. | joaquimserafim/json-web-token is a javascript library use to interact with JSON Web Tokens (JWT) which are a compact URL-safe means of representing claims to be transferred between two parties. Versions prior to 4.0.0 are vulnerable to a JWT algorithm confusion attack. On line 86 of the 'index.js' file, the algorithm to use for verifying the signature of the JWT token is taken from the JWT token, which at that point is still unverified and thus shouldn't be trusted. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker needs to craft a malicious JWT token containing the HS256 algorithm, signed with the public RSA key of the victim application. This attack will only work against this library is the RS256 algorithm is in use, however it is a best practice to use that algorithm. Version 4.0.0 fixes the issue. |
| References |
|
Oct 11, 2024 9:15 PM
Scoring metrics updated
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Metrics |
ssvc
|
Subscriptions
Weaknesses
