CVE-2023-48238

JWT Algorithm Confusion in json-web-token library

HIGH
7.5
CVSS Score
Published: November 17, 2023 at 09:35 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 06:33 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorJSON Web Token

Using json-web-token by joaquimserafim?

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Severity
HIGH7.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.3%
SSVC
PoC

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.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v < 3.1.1v < 4.0.0
Affected range stops below 3.1.1, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 4.0.0, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCPoCAutomatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

7.5HIGHGitHub_M
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
NONE
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-345

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