Описание
PyJWKClient: missing scheme allowlist enables CVE-2024-21643-class SSRF + token forgery via file://, ftp://, data: schemes
[!NOTE] The library does not directly return non-HTTP(S) URI contents to the attacker; the chained "plant a JWKS to forge tokens" scenario described in the original report requires additional application-layer flaws (attacker write access to a filesystem path, untrusted jku derivation) that this fix does not address. Severity is scored for the scheme-acceptance bug in isolation.
Summary
PyJWKClient passes its uri argument directly to urllib.request.urlopen() which uses Python stdlib's default OpenerDirector registering HTTPHandler, HTTPSHandler, FTPHandler, FileHandler, and DataHandler. There is currently no documented option to restrict which schemes PyJWKClient will fetch.
If an application's jku URL ingestion path accepts attacker-influenced URLs (e.g., from JWT header, configuration file, OAuth flow parameter), the attacker can:
- Cause PyJWKClient to read arbitrary local files via
file://(SSRF on local filesystem) — the file's contents are passed tojson.load. - Cause PyJWKClient to attempt FTP / data-URI fetches (broader SSRF surface).
- Forge tokens that PyJWT verifies as valid — if the attacker can write to any path the JKU URL points at AND influences the URL, they can plant a JWK Set containing their own public key, sign tokens with the matching private key, and
jwt.decode()accepts.
Affected versions
Tested and reproducible on PyJWT 2.11.0 and 2.12.1. Likely all versions back to PyJWKClient introduction.
Reproducer (full attack chain — verified empirically)
Cross-library evidence — PyJWT is the outlier
The same composition pattern is structurally safe in 4 other mainstream JWT libraries:
| Library | Behavior on jku=file://... | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| PyJWT 2.12.1 (Python) | Reads file from disk, parses, uses for signature verification | urllib default OpenerDirector includes FileHandler |
| panva/jose 6.2.3 (Node.js) | Refuses pre-fetch | WHATWG fetch() rejects non-http(s) at fetch-spec layer |
| golang-jwt + MicahParks/keyfunc v3.4.0 (Go) | Refuses pre-fetch | http.DefaultTransport only registers http/https |
| Microsoft.IdentityModel.Tokens 8.18.0 (.NET) | Refuses pre-fetch | HttpDocumentRetriever defaults RequireHttps=true |
| Spring Security NimbusJwtDecoder 6.3.4 (Java) | Refuses pre-fetch | URI parser delegation refuses non-http(s) at request build |
PyJWT is the only library of these 5 where the default behavior allows file:// to reach the fetch layer.
Recommended fix
Add allowed_schemes: tuple[str, ...] = ("https", "http") kwarg to PyJWKClient.__init__. Pre-validate URL scheme before invoking urllib.request.urlopen. URLs with disallowed schemes raise PyJWKClientError before any fetch is attempted.
Diff sketch against jwt/jwks_client.py
Tests to add
Compatibility
- Default
allowed_schemes=("https", "http")preserves backwards compatibility for the overwhelming majority of callers using HTTP/HTTPS JWKS endpoints - Breaking only for callers using non-HTTP schemes intentionally (vanishingly rare)
- No changes to urllib fetch logic itself — the fix is a pre-validation gate
Class precedent
This is the same class as CVE-2024-21643 (Apache Jena JKU-trust: attacker-supplied JKU URL fetched without scheme validation). NVD-rated CVSS 7.5.
Prior art (verified 2026-05-06)
Confirmed via live recon (NVD direct, OSV.dev, PyJWT GitHub Security Advisories, issue/PR keyword search, CHANGELOG inspection):
- No existing CVE on PyJWT specifically for PyJWKClient URL scheme handling
- No existing GitHub issue or PR addressing scheme allowlisting
- No silent fix in CHANGELOG through 2.12.1
- 5 prior PyJWT advisories (CVE-2017-11424, CVE-2022-29217, CVE-2024-53861, CVE-2025-45768, CVE-2026-32597) — none cover this class
Credit
Reported by Keijo Tuominen — independent security research at CMHT.tech (https://cmht.tech).
Reproduction artifacts available on request: full multi-language probe pack (5 wrappers × 25 fixtures × 125 cells) demonstrating cross-library divergence at the URL-scheme boundary.
Пакеты
PyJWT
<= 2.12.1
2.13.0
Связанные уязвимости
PyJWT is a JSON Web Token implementation in Python. Prior to 2.13.0, PyJWKClient passes its uri argument directly to urllib.request.urlopen() which uses Python stdlib's default OpenerDirector registering HTTPHandler, HTTPSHandler, FTPHandler, FileHandler, and DataHandler. There is currently no documented option to restrict which schemes PyJWKClient will fetch. If an application's jku URL ingestion path accepts attacker-influenced URLs (e.g., from JWT header, configuration file, OAuth flow parameter), the attacker can cause PyJWKClient to read arbitrary local files via file:// (SSRF on local filesystem), cause PyJWKClient to attempt FTP / data-URI fetches (broader SSRF surface), or forge tokens that PyJWT verifies as valid. The library does not directly return non-HTTP(S) URI contents to the attacker; the chained "plant a JWKS to forge tokens" scenario described in the original report requires additional application-layer flaws (attacker write access to a filesystem path, untrusted j...
PyJWT is a JSON Web Token implementation in Python. Prior to 2.13.0, PyJWKClient passes its uri argument directly to urllib.request.urlopen() which uses Python stdlib's default OpenerDirector registering HTTPHandler, HTTPSHandler, FTPHandler, FileHandler, and DataHandler. There is currently no documented option to restrict which schemes PyJWKClient will fetch. If an application's jku URL ingestion path accepts attacker-influenced URLs (e.g., from JWT header, configuration file, OAuth flow parameter), the attacker can cause PyJWKClient to read arbitrary local files via file:// (SSRF on local filesystem), cause PyJWKClient to attempt FTP / data-URI fetches (broader SSRF surface), or forge tokens that PyJWT verifies as valid. The library does not directly return non-HTTP(S) URI contents to the attacker; the chained "plant a JWKS to forge tokens" scenario described in the original report requires additional application-layer flaws (attacker write access to a filesystem path, untrusted j...
PyJWT is a JSON Web Token implementation in Python. Prior to 2.13.0, PyJWKClient passes its uri argument directly to urllib.request.urlopen() which uses Python stdlib's default OpenerDirector registering HTTPHandler, HTTPSHandler, FTPHandler, FileHandler, and DataHandler. There is currently no documented option to restrict which schemes PyJWKClient will fetch. If an application's jku URL ingestion path accepts attacker-influenced URLs (e.g., from JWT header, configuration file, OAuth flow parameter), the attacker can cause PyJWKClient to read arbitrary local files via file:// (SSRF on local filesystem), cause PyJWKClient to attempt FTP / data-URI fetches (broader SSRF surface), or forge tokens that PyJWT verifies as valid. The library does not directly return non-HTTP(S) URI contents to the attacker; the chained "plant a JWKS to forge tokens" scenario described in the original report requires additional application-layer flaws (attacker write access to a filesystem path, untrusted jku
PyJWT is a JSON Web Token implementation in Python. Prior to 2.13.0, P ...