Unauthenticated DoS via unused payload decoding
Published May 28, 2026 · Updated May 28, 2026
Uncontrolled resource consumption in PyJWT 2.8.0 through 2.12.1 allows remote attackers to interrupt services via crafted detached JWS tokens. In jwt/api_jws.py, PyJWS.decode_complete() calls _load(), which Base64URL-decodes an attacker-sized compact payload segment before b64=false handling discards it for detached_payload. Exposure requires an endpoint that accepts tokens for b64=false detached-JWS verification; upstream request-size limits bound the CPU and memory cost.
Summary
What happened
Uncontrolled resource consumption in PyJWT 2.8.0 through 2.12.1 allows remote attackers to interrupt services via crafted detached JWS tokens. In jwt/api_jws.py, PyJWS.decode_complete() calls _load(), which Base64URL-decodes an attacker-sized compact payload segment before b64=false handling discards it for detached_payload. Exposure requires an endpoint that accepts tokens for b64=false detached-JWS verification; upstream request-size limits bound the CPU and memory cost.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-48525
- Published
- May 28, 2026
- Updated
- May 28, 2026
- Vendor
- Jose Padilla
- Product
- PyJWT
- Classifications
- CWE-400, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 28, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 28, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=>= 2.8.0, < 2.13.0
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Upstream detached-JWS denial-of-service proof of conceptfunctional · demonstrated
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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