CVE-2022-29217Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Authorization bypass via SSH public-key HMAC confusion

Published May 24, 2022 · Updated Apr 23, 2025

Key confusion in PyJWT 1.5.0 through 2.3.0 allows remote attackers to forge accepted JWTs using a public key as an HMAC secret. HMACAlgorithm.prepare_key rejects only a short list of asymmetric-key prefixes and accepts SSH Ed25519 or ECDSA public-key formats as symmetric secrets. Exploitation requires an application to enable both asymmetric and HMAC algorithms, such as get_default_algorithms(), and can bypass token-based authorization.

CVSS severity7.4
High
EPSS probability1.35%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Key confusion in PyJWT 1.5.0 through 2.3.0 allows remote attackers to forge accepted JWTs using a public key as an HMAC secret. HMACAlgorithm.prepare_key rejects only a short list of asymmetric-key prefixes and accepts SSH Ed25519 or ECDSA public-key formats as symmetric secrets. Exploitation requires an application to enable both asymmetric and HMAC algorithms, such as get_default_algorithms(), and can bypass token-based authorization.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-29217
Published
May 24, 2022
Updated
Apr 23, 2025
Vendor
Jose Padilla
Product
PyJWT
Classifications
CWE-327, T1550.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 24, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 23, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=>= 1.5.0, < 2.4.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Jose Padilla · PyJWTversion=>= 1.5.0, < 2.4.0

Published CVSS scores

7.4GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-327Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm
T1550.001Use Alternate Authentication Material: Application Access Token

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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