CVE-2024-22206Network attack vector

User impersonation via unverified cookie JWT claims

Published Jan 12, 2024 · Updated Nov 14, 2024

Authorization bypass in Clerk JavaScript SDK 4.7.0 through 4.29.2 allows remote attackers to impersonate users via crafted JWTs. The @clerk/nextjs endpoint handler reads JWT claims from a cookie before the header, although middleware verified only the header JWT. Applications are exposed only when a Next.js backend calls auth() in the App Router or getAuth() in the Pages Router, enabling arbitrary user identity or role claims.

CVSS severity9.0
Critical
EPSS probability0.68%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authorization bypass in Clerk JavaScript SDK 4.7.0 through 4.29.2 allows remote attackers to impersonate users via crafted JWTs. The @clerk/nextjs endpoint handler reads JWT claims from a cookie before the header, although middleware verified only the header JWT. Applications are exposed only when a Next.js backend calls auth() in the App Router or getAuth() in the Pages Router, enabling arbitrary user identity or role claims.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-22206
Published
Jan 12, 2024
Updated
Nov 14, 2024
Vendor
Clerk
Product
Clerk JavaScript SDK
Classifications
CWE-639, CWE-284, CWE-287, T1550.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 12, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 14, 2024Record 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=>= 4.7.0, < 4.29.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Clerk · Clerk JavaScript SDKversion=>= 4.7.0, < 4.29.3

Published CVSS scores

9.8NISTCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.0GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-639Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key
CWE-284Improper Access Control
CWE-287Improper Authentication
T1550.001Use Alternate Authentication Material: Application Access Token

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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