GHSA-GQ3J-XVXP-8HRF

The basicAuth and bearerAuth middlewares previously used a comparison that was not fully timing-safe.

The timingSafeEqual function used normal string equality (===) when comparing hash values. This comparison may stop early if values differ, which can theoretically cause small timing differences.

The implementation has been updated to use a safer comparison method.

Details

The issue was caused by the use of normal string equality (===) when comparing hash values inside the timingSafeEqual function.

In JavaScript, string comparison may stop as soon as a difference is found. This means the comparison time can slightly vary depending on how many characters match.

Under very specific and controlled conditions, this behavior could theoretically allow timing-based analysis.

The implementation has been updated to:

• Avoid early termination during comparison
• Use a constant-time-style comparison method

This issue is unlikely to be exploited in normal environments.

It may only be relevant in highly controlled situations where precise timing measurements are possible.

This change is considered a security hardening improvement. Users are encouraged to upgrade to the latest version.

GHSA-GQ3J-XVXP-8HRF has a CVSS score of 3.7 (Low). The vector is network-reachable, no 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 (4.11.10); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is GHSA-GQ3J-XVXP-8HRF? GHSA-GQ3J-XVXP-8HRF is a low-severity security vulnerability in hono (npm), affecting versions < 4.11.10. It is fixed in 4.11.10.
2. How severe is GHSA-GQ3J-XVXP-8HRF? GHSA-GQ3J-XVXP-8HRF has a CVSS score of 3.7 (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 hono are affected by GHSA-GQ3J-XVXP-8HRF? hono (npm) versions < 4.11.10 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for GHSA-GQ3J-XVXP-8HRF? Yes. GHSA-GQ3J-XVXP-8HRF is fixed in 4.11.10. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is GHSA-GQ3J-XVXP-8HRF exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-GQ3J-XVXP-8HRF 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 GHSA-GQ3J-XVXP-8HRF 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 GHSA-GQ3J-XVXP-8HRF? Upgrade hono to 4.11.10 or later.

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