Medium Cryptography

CVE-2026-22818 — JWT algorithm confusion in Hono JWK Auth Middleware when JWK lacks "alg" (untrusted header.alg fallback)

Hono is a Web application framework that provides support for any JavaScript runtime. Prior to 4.11.4, there is a flaw in Hono’s JWK/JWKS JWT verification middleware allowed the algorithm specified in the JWT header to influence signature verification when the selected JWK did not explicitly define an algorithm. This could enable JWT algorithm confusion and, in certain configurations, allow forged tokens to be accepted. The JWK/JWKS JWT verification middleware has been updated to require an explicit allowlist of asymmetric algorithms when verifying tokens. The middleware no longer derives the verification algorithm from untrusted JWT header values. This vulnerability is fixed in 4.11.4.

Published Jan 13, 2026 · Updated Oct 13, 2026 · Sources: NIST National Vulnerability Database, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP · CNA: GitHub_M

Low

Who exploits it and how urgent it is

A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.

No exploitation signal in the sources consulted so far.

How the score was calculated

EPSS 0.1% (30-day exploitation probability)+0
Technical severity (medium)+3
Automatable exploitation (SSVC)+3

The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.

Exploitation

Not confirmed

Not in CISA KEV — an absence of record, not proof it is unexploited.

EPSS FIRST

0.14%

ahead of 3% of scored CVEs · Oct 14, 2026

Affects

Hono

CVSS base

6.5

Medium · 3 source(s)

Prioritization reference: 8.2 provisional

CISA SSVC assessment CISA

Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.

Exploitation

None

none · proof-of-concept · active

Automatable

Yes

can an attacker script the kill-chain steps

Technical impact

Partial

partial · total control of the vulnerable component

Remediation

Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.

Documented patch — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.

Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Hono Hono, Honojs Hono).
The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (cryptography), errors and authentication anomalies.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.

Vendor	Product	Versions	Status	Source
Hono	Hono	< 4.11.4	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Honojs	Hono	version < 4.11.4	Vulnerable	CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack vector

Network

Attack complexity

Low

Privileges required

None

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

Low

Integrity

Low

Availability

None

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

Score	Version	Severity	Expl.	Impact	Scored by
8.2	CVSS 3.1	High	3.9	4.2	security-advisories@github.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database
8.2	CVSS 3.1	High	—	—	GitHub_M via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
6.5	CVSS 3.1	Medium	3.9	2.5	nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov)

Scoring entities (NIST, CNA, ADP) score independently; each score is shown with its origin. For prioritization we use 8.2 (security-advisories@github.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database) as a conservative provisional reference — not a definitive official score.

Weakness MITRE

Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.

CWE-347 · Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature

Other CVEs with this weakness →

EPSS over time FIRST

Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.14%

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.

Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
Check TLS negotiations and unexpected certificates in the component’s traffic.

web/proxy/WAF logsnetwork IDS/IPS

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first.

2026
Affected products added · honojs/hono
Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
SSVC assessment updated
Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
Record published
Oct 13, 2026
Fix documented
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
CVSS changed · 6.5
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
Source status changed · → Analyzed
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
Record created in this database
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
CVE published
Jan 13, 2026 · GitHub_M

Source activity

Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.

1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026

References

2 on the record

github.com/honojs/hono/commit/190f6e28e2ca85ce3d1f2f54db1310f5f3eab134
Patch, x_refsource_MISC, NIST National Vulnerability Database
github.com/honojs/hono/security/advisories/GHSA-3vhc-576x-3qv4
Third Party Advisory, x_refsource_CONFIRM, NIST National Vulnerability Database

Elsewhere on this site

Hono
every CVE for this vendor

Cryptography
same class

CWE-347
other pages naming this weakness

Related CVEs (same products)

Medium CVE-2026-109955 Hono 4.12.4 before 4.13.11 Middleware Bypass via serveStatic Double Decoding 2d
Medium CVE-2026-69207 Hono: ReDoS in CORS middleware via Access-Control-Request-Headers Aug 7, 2026
Medium CVE-2026-71850 Hono: `memo()` retains SSR output across requests, leading to cross-user data disclosure Aug 7, 2026
Low CVE-2026-71849 Hono: Proxy Helper does not remove response headers listed in the `Connection` header Aug 7, 2026
Medium CVE-2026-71848 Hono: Algorithmic Complexity DoS in Language Middleware Aug 7, 2026
Low CVE-2026-56764 Hono - Timing Attack in basicAuth and bearerAuth Middleware Jul 15, 2026

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.

Answered from this record

Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2026-22818 is "JWT algorithm confusion in Hono JWK Auth Middleware when JWK lacks "alg" (untrusted header.alg fallback)", rated Medium. It affects Hono (Hono); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 6.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.14% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.

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