CVE-2026-120459
What it is
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.
At a glance
- Exploitability
- Can be exploited over the network without logging in. High risk of data exposure, data tampering.
- Exploit odds
- 0.3% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Fix
- No patch or advisory is linked yet. Look at mitigations or restrict exposure.
Timeline
- ReservedThe CVE id was reserved by its CNA
- PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
- Last updatedMost recent change to the record
Why it ranks here
- Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
- Exploit odds: 0.3% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Severity: 9.1 CRITICAL (CVSS).
- Fix: none linked yet, which raises it.
Details
- Published
- Last modified
- Exploit probability
- 0.3% · EPSS, next 30 days
- Weakness
- CWE-347
- Record status
- Awaiting Analysis
Attack profile CVSS 4.0 · 9.1
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- Present
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Raw vector
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
Is it in your code?
Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.
Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2026-120459.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2026-120459. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.
References
- https://github.com/mpdavis/python-jose/blob/3.5.0/jose/backends/cryptography_backend.py
- https://github.com/mpdavis/python-jose/blob/3.5.0/jose/backends/native.py
- https://github.com/mpdavis/python-jose/issues/398
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/python-jose-through-3.5.0-authentication-bypass-via-empty-hmac-key