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CVE-2023-48238

HIGHCVSS 7.5/10EPSS 0.31%

Last modified

CVE-2023-48238 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.5/10 on the CVSS scale. 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. EPSS estimates a 0.31% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

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.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1
7.5/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

EPSS Probability
0.31%

22.3th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

VendorProductVersions
JoaquimserafimJson Web Token< 3.1.1

References

Timeline

Published
Last Modified
Status
Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-48238?
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.
How severe is CVE-2023-48238?
CVE-2023-48238 has a CVSS score of 7.5/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.31% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2023-48238?
Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2023-48238?

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Source: NVD / NIST