CVE-2026-120459 json
python-jose through 3.5.0 Authentication Bypass via Empty HMAC Key
published 7d ago modified 11h ago also EUVD-2026-115219
- cvss
- 7.4
- version 3.1, CNA
- cisa kev
- Not listed
- not in CISA's catalog
- epss
- 0.3%
- EPSS 0.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 16%
- public exploits
- 0
- none known
Summary
python-jose through 3.5.0 contains an authentication bypass vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to forge JWTs because HMACKey and CryptographyHMACKey accept zero-length HMAC secrets. When an application's HS256/HS384/HS512 verification key resolves to empty, such as an oct JWK with empty k, attackers can forge tokens with arbitrary claims that jwt.decode accepts.
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Check with FencerCISA SSVC
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
- Assessed
- 12h ago
Exploit prediction
0.25% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 16% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).
CVSS scores
| assigned by | version | score | vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | 4.0 | 9.1 | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N |
| CNA | 3.1 | 7.4 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N |
| CNA | 4.0 | 9.1 | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X |
Affected products
- mpdavis python-jose
Classification
- Weakness
-
- CWE-347 Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature
References
-
github.com
/mpdavis/python-jose/issues/398
issue-tracking
-
github.com
/mpdavis/python-jose/blob/3.5.0/jose/backends/native.py
technical-description
-
github.com
/mpdavis/python-jose/blob/3.5.0/jose/backends/cryptography_backend.py
technical-description
-
vulncheck.com
/advisories/python-jose-through-3.5.0-authentication-bypass-via-empty-hmac-key
third-party-advisory
Sources
- CVE List CVE-2026-120459
- NVD CVE-2026-120459
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