Distribution's token authentication allows attacker to inject an untrusted signing key in a JWT
distribution · distribution
Official source article: GitHub GHSA-PHW4-MC57-4HWC ↗. Check the applicable product and release in the original source.
6.6MediumCVSS 4.0
Recommended action
Within 7 days
Medium technical severity with public exploit material referenced by a structured source; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.
Published severityMedium→Operational priority:High, raised one band.upgradedsince 23 Jan 2026
Evidence used
No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
A structured source references public exploit or proof-of-concept material.
The selected CVSS metric records a network-reachable, unauthenticated path with no user interaction.
EPSS is 0.35% for the current model date.
Compensating controls
Validate the affected product branch and deploy the verified fixed release.
Restrict the affected network interface to trusted sources where business-safe.
Increase monitoring for the attack path and post-exploitation behaviour described in the report.
Verification
Confirm that the asset runs distribution distribution and falls inside the recorded affected range.
Verify the installed build against the product-specific fixed version after deployment.
Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Distribution package intelligence
Release-specific package status
Debian findings are scoped to the named distribution, release and source package. An absent finding does not mean a package is unaffected.
4 package states
Repository candidate not checked
A published vendor fix does not prove that a matching update is enabled and installable on a particular asset. Confirm the local package candidate before scheduling remediation.
Distribution release
Source package
Vendor state
Fixed version
Evidence
Debian trixietrixie · source
docker-registry
Not affectedDebian marks this release not affected (fixed-version marker 0).
Open-source package ranges1 source-attributed range
These OSV and GitHub advisory ranges apply only to the named package and ecosystem. A listed fixed version is not a universal product patch or proof that an update is installed.
Structured product status and remediation from the issuing vendor. Product-state explanations are always visible; large lists can be searched or downloaded.
1 current
CVE-2025-24976 · CSAF 2.0 · revision 3 · finalRed Hat Product Securitydistribution: Distribution's token authentication allows attacker to inject an untrusted signing key in a JWT
12 known affected
The vendor explicitly identifies these products as affected by this CVE.
multiarch-tuning/multiarch-tuning-rhel9-operator.src as a component of Multiarch Tuning Operator
oadp/oadp-velero-plugin-rhel9 as a component of OpenShift API for Data Protection
openshift-serverless-1/serverless-ingress-rhel8 as a component of OpenShift Serverless
openshift-serverless-1/serverless-kn-operator-rhel8 as a component of OpenShift Serverless
openshift-serverless-1/serverless-must-gather-rhel8 as a component of OpenShift Serverless
openshift-serverless-1/serverless-openshift-kn-rhel8-operator as a component of OpenShift Serverless
rhacm2/multicluster-operators-subscription-rhel8 as a component of Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes 2
openshift4/ose-console-rhel9 as a component of Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
openshift4/ose-docker-registry as a component of Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
openshift-gitops-1/argocd-rhel8 as a component of Red Hat OpenShift GitOps
openshift-gitops-1/argocd-rhel9 as a component of Red Hat OpenShift GitOps
rhtap-cli/rhtap-cli-rhel9.src as a component of Red Hat Trusted Application Pipeline
Summary
A flaw was found in Distribution. Certain versions with token authentication enabled may be vulnerable to an issue where token authentication allows an attacker to inject an untrusted signing key in a JSON web token (JWT). The issue is due to how the JSON web key (JWK) verification is performed. When a JWT contains a JWK header without a certificate chain, the code only checks if the KeyID (`kid`) matches one of the trusted keys but doesn't verify that the key material matches.
Remediation
For OpenShift Container Platform 4.17 see the following documentation, which will be updated shortly for this release, for important instructions on how to upgrade your cluster and fully apply this asynchronous errata update: https://docs.openshift.com/container-platform/4.17/release_notes/ocp-4-17-release-notes.html You may download the oc tool and use it to inspect release image metadata for x86_64, s390x, ppc64le, and aarch64 architectures. The image digests may be found at https://quay.io/repository/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release?tab=tags. The sha values for the release are as follows: (For x86_64 architecture) The image digest is sha256:fc702dee694fbf3179ecff9b933a6baea6579b291eea13523330954972c126ef (For s390x architecture) The image digest is sha256:7f94e4013e9c59e5befb398bca532b588cf30caca9b4054f49d5228e177ad3a3 (For ppc64le architecture) The image digest is sha256:6045c45bc63610506c33a3f7dda7b14a18dce2abc5a652644b6f2484c8d4ce65 (For aarch64 architecture) The image digest is sha256:50d7ad83896c396a0063fca186632efe8694a887f4b4ab301cec9aeb1732f324 All OpenShift Container Platform 4.17 users are advised to upgrade to these updated packages and images when they are available in the appropriate release channel. To check for available updates, use the OpenShift CLI (oc) or web console. Instructions for upgrading a cluster are available at https://docs.openshift.com/container-platform/4.17/updating/updating_a_cluster/updating-cluster-cli.html
Optional official sources
National CERT insights ?CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.
Choose official national sources for this report. Each advisory shows its original language. Your selection is remembered on this device and included in shared links.
Official European source
ENISA European Vulnerability Database
Official EUVD identifiers, advisory evidence and known-exploited context. Missing fields are not treated as evidence of low risk.
1 current
ENISA EUVD identifier
EUVD-2025-3999
No EUVD known-exploited evidence
ENISA has published the identifier mapping but no EUVD description has been stored yet.
EUVD state
Present in the current official mapping
Known exploitation
Not present in the current ENISA EUVD known-exploited dataset. This is not proof of no exploitation.
ENISA score
Not supplied in the stored EUVD record
Advisory evidence
No linked advisory details stored yet
Recommended actionWithin 7 days
Medium technical severity with public exploit material referenced by a structured source; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.
Patch available
01
What, why and how
Distribution is a toolkit to pack, ship, store, and deliver container content. Systems running registry versions 3.0.0-beta.1 through 3.0.0-rc.2 with token authentication enabled may be vulnerable to an issue in which token authentication allows an attacker to inject an untrusted signing key in a JSON web token (JWT). The issue lies in how the JSON web key (JWK) verification is performed. When a JWT contains a JWK header without a certificate chain, the code only checks if the KeyID (`kid`) matches one of the trusted keys, but doesn't verify that the actual key material matches. A fix for the issue is available at commit 5ea9aa028db65ca5665f6af2c20ecf9dc34e5fcd and expected to be a part of version 3.0.0-rc.3. There is no way to work around this issue without patching if the system requires token authentication.
What
Distribution is a toolkit to pack, ship, store, and deliver container content. Systems running registry versions 3.0.0-beta.1 through 3.0.0-rc.2 with token authentication enabled may be vulnerable to an issue in which token authentication allows an attacker to inject an untrusted signing key in a JSON web token (JWT). The issue lies in how the JSON web key (JWK) verification is performed. When a JWT contains a JWK header without a certificate chain, the code only checks if the KeyID (`kid`) matches one of the trusted keys, but doesn't verify that the actual key material matches. A fix for the issue is available at commit 5ea9aa028db65ca5665f6af2c20ecf9dc34e5fcd and expected to be a part of version 3.0.0-rc.3. There is no way to work around this issue without patching if the system requires token authentication.
Why
The system's authorization functionality does not prevent one user from gaining access to another user's data or record by modifying the key value identifying the data.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.
What
Distribution is a toolkit to pack, ship, store, and deliver container content. Systems running registry versions 3.0.0-beta.1 through 3.0.0-rc.2 with token authentication enabled may be vulnerable to an issue in which token authentication allows an attacker to inject an untrusted signing key in a JSON web token (JWT). The issue lies in how the JSON web key (JWK) verification is performed. When a JWT contains a JWK header without a certificate chain, the code only checks if the KeyID (`kid`) matches one of the trusted keys, but doesn't verify that the actual key material matches. A fix for the issue is available at commit 5ea9aa028db65ca5665f6af2c20ecf9dc34e5fcd and expected to be a part of version 3.0.0-rc.3. There is no way to work around this issue without patching if the system requires token authentication.
Why
The system's authorization functionality does not prevent one user from gaining access to another user's data or record by modifying the key value identifying the data.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.
02
Exploit reality and attack path
CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.
Observed exploitation ?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No confirmed evidence
No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.
Public PoC / exploit material ?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.Reference recorded
CISA Vulnrichment records proof-of-concept exploitation in its SSVC data. BlackTree has not independently executed or validated exploit material.
Likely attack path
a network path → Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key → cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor
Attack surface
Network
Privileges required
None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary
Not a CVSS 4.0 base metric
Weakness ?CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.
CWE-639: Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key. The system's authorization functionality does not prevent one user from gaining access to another user's data or record by modifying the key value identifying the data.
CVSS vector ?CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System 4.0: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.ATNoneAttack requirements: No additional deployment or execution condition is required.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.VCNoneVulnerable-system confidentiality: No direct loss is represented by this metric.VIHighVulnerable-system integrity: A successful attack can cause a major loss.VANoneVulnerable-system availability: No direct loss is represented by this metric.SCNoneSubsequent-system confidentiality: No direct loss is represented by this metric.SINoneSubsequent-system integrity: No direct loss is represented by this metric.SANoneSubsequent-system availability: No direct loss is represented by this metric.
Post-exploitation / living off the land
Stolen credentials, tokens and legitimate administration functions may provide continued access without deploying a large custom toolset.
Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.
ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2025-3999Official EUVD mapping
0 linked advisory records.
Official EUVD record ↗Cyber Security Agency of Singapore · English · CSA-SB-20250213Security Bulletin 13 February 2025
The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore included this CVE in its official Security Bulletin 13 February 2025, published on 13 February 2025. Open the linked bulletin for the product, severity and reference information published in that issue.
Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.
Status ?Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change.
For OpenShift Container Platform 4.17 see the following documentation, which will be updated shortly for this release, for important instructions on how to upgrade your cluster and fully apply this asynchronous errata update: https://docs.openshift.com/container-platform/4.17/release_notes/ocp-4-17-release-notes.html You may download the oc tool and use it to inspect release image metadata for x86_64, s390x, ppc64le, and aarch64 architectures. The image digests may be found at https://quay.io/repository/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release?tab=tags. The sha values for the release are as follows: (For x86_64 architecture) The image digest is sha256:fc702dee694fbf3179ecff9b933a6baea6579b291eea13523330954972c126ef (For s390x architecture) The image digest is sha256:7f94e4013e9c59e5befb398bca532b588cf30caca9b4054f49d5228e177ad3a3 (For ppc64le architecture) The image digest is sha256:6045c45bc63610506c33a3f7dda7b14a18dce2abc5a652644b6f2484c8d4ce65 (For aarch64 architecture) The image digest is sha256:50d7ad83896c396a0063fca186632efe8694a887f4b4ab301cec9aeb1732f324 All OpenShift Container Platform 4.17 users are advised to upgrade to these updated packages and images when they are available in the appropriate release channel. To check for available updates, use the OpenShift CLI (oc) or web console. Instructions for upgrading a cluster are available at https://docs.openshift.com/container-platform/4.17/updating/updating_a_cluster/updating-cluster-cli.html
Workaround
No verified workaround is recorded. If business-safe, reduce exposure to the affected interface and allow only trusted sources until authoritative guidance is available.
04
Evidence and provenance
Published 11 Feb 2025 · Last source change 23 Jan 2026, 17:04 UTC · CWE-639 · Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key
CVE recordCVE.org · 5.2
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source ?The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2025-3999
Product sourceVendor CSAF · Red Hat Product Security
Remediation sourceVendor CSAF · Red Hat Product Security
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD not scheduled
Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.
Affected versionsThe structured affected or fixed version information changed.
Before
>= 3.0.0-beta.1, <= 3.0.0-rc.2 · Fixed: No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
After
>= 3.0.0-beta.1, <= 3.0.0-rc.2 · Fixed: For OpenShift Container Platform 4.17 see the following documentation, which will be updated shortly for this release, for important instructions on how to upgrade your cluster and fully apply this asynchronous errata update: https://docs.openshift.com/container-platform/4.17/release_notes/ocp-4-17-release-notes.html You may download the oc tool and use it to inspect release image metadata for x86_64, s390x, ppc64le, and aarch64 architectures. The image digests may be found at https://quay.io/repository/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release?tab=tags. The sha values for the release are as follows: (For x86_64 architecture) The image digest is sha256:fc702dee694fbf3179ecff9b933a6baea6579b291eea13523330954972c126ef (For s390x architecture) The image digest is sha256:7f94e4013e9c59e5befb398bca532b588cf30caca9b4054f49d5228e177ad3a3 (For ppc64le architecture) The image digest is sha256:6045c45bc63610506c33a3f7dda7b14a18dce2abc5a652644b6f2484c8d4ce65 (For aarch64 architecture) The image digest is sha256:50d7ad83896c396a0063fca186632efe8694a887f4b4ab301cec9aeb1732f324 All OpenShift Container Platform 4.17 users are advised to upgrade to these updated packages and images when they are available in the appropriate release channel. To check for available updates, use the OpenShift CLI (oc) or web console. Instructions for upgrading a cluster are available at https://docs.openshift.com/container-platform/4.17/updating/updating_a_cluster/updating-cluster-cli.html
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
CVE
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
CVSS
Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
EPSS
Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
CWE
Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
CNA
CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
CISA ADP
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
NVD
National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
CERT / CSIRT
A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
PoC
Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
CSAF
Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
LoTL
Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.