CVE-2024-53861

The wrong string if check is run for iss checking, resulting in "acb" being accepted for "_abc_".

Details

This is a bug introduced in version 2.10.0: checking the "iss" claim
changed from isinstance(issuer, list) to isinstance(issuer, Sequence).

-        if isinstance(issuer, list):
+        if isinstance(issuer, Sequence):
            if payload["iss"] not in issuer:
                raise InvalidIssuerError("Invalid issuer")
        else:

Since str is a Sequnce, but not a list, in is also used for string
comparison. This results in if "abc" not in "__abcd__": being
checked instead of if "abc" != "__abc__":.

PoC

Check out the unit tests added here: https://github.com/jpadilla/pyjwt-ghsa-75c5-xw7c-p5pm

        issuer = "urn:expected"

        payload = {"iss": "urn:"}

        token = jwt.encode(payload, "secret")

        # decode() succeeds, even though `"urn:" != "urn:expected". No exception is raised.
        with pytest.raises(InvalidIssuerError):
            jwt.decode(token, "secret", issuer=issuer, algorithms=["HS256"])

I would say the real world impact is not that high, seeing as the signature still has to match. We should still fix it.

CVE-2024-53861 has a CVSS score of 2.2 (Low). The vector is network-reachable, high privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (2.10.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2024-53861? CVE-2024-53861 is a low-severity security vulnerability in PyJWT (pip), affecting versions = 2.10.0. It is fixed in 2.10.1.
2. How severe is CVE-2024-53861? CVE-2024-53861 has a CVSS score of 2.2 (Low). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of PyJWT are affected by CVE-2024-53861? PyJWT (pip) versions = 2.10.0 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2024-53861? Yes. CVE-2024-53861 is fixed in 2.10.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2024-53861 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-53861 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2024-53861 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2024-53861? Upgrade PyJWT to 2.10.1 or later.