CVE-2026-85394
python-jose through 3.5.0 fails to properly validate asymmetric keys in HMAC initialization, accepting DER-encoded public keys that lack PEM armor or SSH prefixes. Attackers holding the service's public key can forge HS256 tokens that pass verification when algorithms are not explicitly restricted. This is an incomplete fix for CVE-2024-33663.
Package Versions Affected
Automatically patch vulnerabilities without upgrading
CVSS Version



Related Resources
References
https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/85xxx/CVE-2026-85394.json, https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-6c5p-j8vq-pqhj, https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-85394, https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/python-jose-through-3.5.0-algorithm-confusion-via-der-encoded-public-key-as-hmac-secret, https://github.com/mpdavis/python-jose/issues/414, https://github.com/mpdavis/python-jose, https://github.com/mpdavis/python-jose/blob/018b310ddb8b50dcfd09a0c152117835a21dd656/jose/backends/native.py, https://github.com/mpdavis/python-jose/blob/018b310ddb8b50dcfd09a0c152117835a21dd656/jose/utils.py