CVE-2026-23996

FastAPI Api Key has a timing side-channel in verify_key that allows statistical key validity detection

Published Jan 21, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 3.7 Low EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
FastAPI Api Key provides a backend-agnostic library that provides an API key system. Version 1.1.0 has a timing side-channel vulnerability in verify_key(). The method applied a random delay only on verification failures, allowing an attacker to statistically distinguish valid from invalid API keys by measuring response latencies. With enough repeated requests, an adversary could infer whether a key_id corresponds to a valid key, potentially accelerating brute-force or enumeration attacks. All users relying on verify_key() for API key authentication prior to the fix are affected. Users should upgrade to version 1.1.0 to receive a patch. The patch applies a uniform random delay (min_delay to max_delay) to all responses regardless of outcome, eliminating the timing correlation. Some workarounds are available. Add an application-level fixed delay or random jitter to all authentication responses (success and failure) before the fix is applied and/or use rate limiting to reduce the feasibility of statistical timing attacks.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-95c6-p277-p87g FastAPI Api Key has a timing side-channel in verify_key that allows statistical key validity detection
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Athroniaeth fastapi Api Key
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:athroniaeth:fastapi_api_key:*:*:*:*:*:python:*:*
Vendors & Products Athroniaeth fastapi Api Key
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Athroniaeth
Athroniaeth fastapi-api-key
Vendors & Products Athroniaeth
Athroniaeth fastapi-api-key
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description FastAPI Api Key provides a backend-agnostic library that provides an API key system. Version 1.1.0 has a timing side-channel vulnerability in verify_key(). The method applied a random delay only on verification failures, allowing an attacker to statistically distinguish valid from invalid API keys by measuring response latencies. With enough repeated requests, an adversary could infer whether a key_id corresponds to a valid key, potentially accelerating brute-force or enumeration attacks. All users relying on verify_key() for API key authentication prior to the fix are affected. Users should upgrade to version 1.1.0 to receive a patch. The patch applies a uniform random delay (min_delay to max_delay) to all responses regardless of outcome, eliminating the timing correlation. Some workarounds are available. Add an application-level fixed delay or random jitter to all authentication responses (success and failure) before the fix is applied and/or use rate limiting to reduce the feasibility of statistical timing attacks.
Title FastAPI Api Key has a timing side-channel in verify_key that allows statistical key validity detection
Weaknesses CWE-208
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 3.7, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
GitHub_M
Published
Updated
Jan 22, 2026, 4:49 PM
Reserved
Jan 19, 2026, 6:49 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
Jan 21, 2026, 11:15 PM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 10:22 AM