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  5. CVE-2026-44351

CVE-2026-44351: fast-jwt: JWT auth bypass due to empty HMAC secret accepted by async key resolver

May 6, 2026

A critical authentication-bypass vulnerability in fast-jwt’s async key-resolver flow allows any unauthenticated attacker to forge arbitrary JWTs that are accepted as authentic. When the application’s key resolver returns an empty string (''), for example via the common keys[decoded.header.kid] || '' JWKS-style fallback, fast-jwt converts it to a zero-length Buffer, hands it to crypto.createSecretKey, derives allowedAlgorithms = ['HS256','HS384','HS512'] from it, and then verifies the token’s signature against an empty-key HMAC. The attacker simply computes HMAC-SHA256(key='', input='${header}.${payload}'), which Node accepts without complaint — and the verifier returns the attacker-chosen payload (sub, admin, scopes, etc.) as authentic. Reproducible 100% against the current latest release fast-jwt@6.2.3.

References

  • github.com/advisories/GHSA-gmvf-9v4p-v8jc
  • github.com/nearform/fast-jwt
  • github.com/nearform/fast-jwt/security/advisories/GHSA-gmvf-9v4p-v8jc
  • nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-44351

Code Behaviors & Features

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Affected versions

All versions before 6.2.4

Fixed versions

  • 6.2.4

Solution

Upgrade to version 6.2.4 or above.

Impact 9.1 CRITICAL

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

Learn more about CVSS

Weakness

  • CWE-1391: Use of Weak Credentials
  • CWE-287: Improper Authentication
  • CWE-326: Inadequate Encryption Strength

Source file

npm/fast-jwt/CVE-2026-44351.yml

Spotted a mistake? Edit the file on GitLab.

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