GHSA-752w-5fwx-jx9f

PyJWT accepts unknown `crit` header extensions

## Summary PyJWT does not validate the `crit` (Critical) Header Parameter defined in RFC 7515 §4.1.11. When a JWS token contains a `crit` array listing extensions that PyJWT does not understand, the library accepts the token instead of rejecting it. This violates the **MUST** requirement in the RFC. This is the same class of vulnerability as CVE-2025-59420 (Authlib), which received CVSS 7.5 (HIGH). --- ## RFC Requirement RFC 7515 §4.1.11: > The "crit" (Critical) Header Parameter indicates that extensions to this > specification and/or [JWA] are being used that **MUST** be understood and > processed. [...] If any of the listed extension Header Parameters are > **not understood and supported** by the recipient, then the **JWS is invalid**. --- ## Proof of Concept ```python import jwt # PyJWT 2.8.0 import hmac, hashlib, base64, json # Construct token with unknown critical extension header = {"alg": "HS256", "crit": ["x-custom-policy"], "x-custom-policy": "require-mfa"} payload = {"sub": "attacker", "role": "admin"} def b64url(data): return base64.urlsafe_b64encode(data).rstrip(b"=").decode() h = b64url(json.dumps(header, separators=(",", ":")).encode()) p = b64url(json.dumps(payload, separators=(",", ":")).encode()) sig = b64url(hmac.new(b"secret", f"{h}.{p}".encode(), hashlib.sha256).digest()) token = f"{h}.{p}.{sig}" # Should REJECT — x-custom-policy is not understood by PyJWT try: result = jwt.decode(token, "secret", algorithms=["HS256"]) print(f"ACCEPTED: {result}") # Output: ACCEPTED: {'sub': 'attacker', 'role': 'admin'} except Exception as e: print(f"REJECTED: {e}") ``` **Expected:** `jwt.exceptions.InvalidTokenError: Unsupported critical extension: x-custom-policy` **Actual:** Token accepted, payload returned. ### Comparison with RFC-compliant library ```python # jwcrypto — correctly rejects from jwcrypto import jwt as jw_jwt, jwk key = jwk.JWK(kty="oct", k=b64url(b"secret")) jw_jwt.JWT(jwt=token, key=key, algs=["HS256"]) # raises: InvalidJWSObject('Unknown critical header: "x-custom-policy"') ``` --- ## Impact - **Split-brain verification** in mixed-library deployments (e.g., API gateway using jwcrypto rejects, backend using PyJWT accepts) - **Security policy bypass** when `crit` carries enforcement semantics (MFA, token binding, scope restrictions) - **Token binding bypass** — RFC 7800 `cnf` (Proof-of-Possession) can be silently ignored - See CVE-2025-59420 for full impact analysis --- ## Suggested Fix In `jwt/api_jwt.py`, add validation in `_validate_headers()` or `decode()`: ```python _SUPPORTED_CRIT = {"b64"} # Add extensions PyJWT actually supports def _validate_crit(self, headers: dict) -> None: crit = headers.get("crit") if crit is None: return if not isinstance(crit, list) or len(crit) == 0: raise InvalidTokenError("crit must be a non-empty array") for ext in crit: if ext not in self._SUPPORTED_CRIT: raise InvalidTokenError(f"Unsupported critical extension: {ext}") if ext not in headers: raise InvalidTokenError(f"Critical extension {ext} not in header") ``` --- ## CWE - CWE-345: Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity - CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization ## References - [RFC 7515 §4.1.11](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc7515.html#section-4.1.11) - [CVE-2025-59420 — Authlib crit bypass (CVSS 7.5)](https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-9ggr-2464-2j32) - [RFC 7800 — Proof-of-Possession Key Semantics](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc7800)