PHP JWT Framework: Chacha20Poly1305 key-encryption algorithm discards the Poly1305…
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Fixed
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from GitHub. Impact type from CWE-347.
Summary
### Impact The experimental `Chacha20Poly1305` key-encryption algorithm generates the 16-byte Poly1305 authentication tag during `encryptKey()` but **discards it**: the tag is never written to the header and therefore never reaches the wire. On the receiving side, `decryptKey()` calls `openssl_decrypt('chacha20-poly1305', ...)` **without the tag argument**, which makes OpenSSL skip authentication entirely. As a result the AEAD construction is silently degraded to unauthenticated ChaCha20: a tampered encrypted CEK is accepted, and because ChaCha20 is a stream cipher, a single-byte change in the ciphertext propagates as a single-byte change in the recovered CEK with no integrity check (CWE-353 / CWE-347). An attacker on the token path can manipulate the wrapped key without detection. ### Affected configurations Applications that register `Jose\Experimental\KeyEncryption\Chacha20Poly1305` (package `web-token/jwt-experimental`) as a JWE `alg`. ### Patches `encryptKey()` now publishes the Poly1305 tag as the base64url `tag` header parameter (and asserts it is 16 bytes). `decryptKey()` requires the `tag` header, validates its length, and passes it to `openssl_decrypt()` so the tag is actually verified, in line with RFC 7539 / RFC 8439. Tampering now results in a decryption failure. > Note: this changes the wire format of tokens produced with this experimental algorithm (a `tag` header is now emitted and required). ### Workarounds Do not use the experimental `Chacha20Poly1305` key-encryption algorithm for untrusted input until upgraded. ### References - RFC 7539 / RFC 8439 (ChaCha20-Poly1305 AEAD) - CWE-353: Missing Support for Integrity Check ## Résolution Un correctif a été préparé sur une branche dédiée basée sur `3.4.x`, avec des tests anti-régression dédiés (fork privé temporaire de cette advisory, PR #1). **ChaCha20-Poly1305** — le tag d'authentification Poly1305 est désormais publié dans le header au chiffrement et vérifié au déchiffrement (RFC 7539), rétablissant l'intégrité AEAD. **Validation :** `php -l` OK, PHPUnit vert, aucune nouvelle erreur PHPStan introduite (différentiel nul vs `3.4.x`), aucun commentaire ajouté dans le code source. Après merge, cascade prévue `3.4.x → 4.0.x → 4.1.x`.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | web-token/jwt-experimental (Packagist) | up to 4.1.6 | — | No fix listed | GHSA-6vvh-pxr4-25r7 |
| — | web-token/jwt-library (Packagist) | before 3.4.10 | 3.4.10 | Patch available | GHSA-6vvh-pxr4-25r7 |
| — | web-token/jwt-library (Packagist) | 4.0.0 to before 4.0.7 | 4.0.7 | Patch available | GHSA-6vvh-pxr4-25r7 |
| — | web-token/jwt-library (Packagist) | 4.1.0 to before 4.1.7 | 4.1.7 | Patch available | GHSA-6vvh-pxr4-25r7 |
- web-token/jwt-experimental (Packagist) Vendor— Affected up to 4.1.6 Fixed in — No fix listed GHSA-6vvh-pxr4-25r7
- web-token/jwt-library (Packagist) Vendor— Affected before 3.4.10 Fixed in 3.4.10 Patch available GHSA-6vvh-pxr4-25r7
- web-token/jwt-library (Packagist) Vendor— Affected 4.0.0 to before 4.0.7 Fixed in 4.0.7 Patch available GHSA-6vvh-pxr4-25r7
- web-token/jwt-library (Packagist) Vendor— Affected 4.1.0 to before 4.1.7 Fixed in 4.1.7 Patch available GHSA-6vvh-pxr4-25r7
Remediation
- Fix · GHSA-6vvh-pxr4-25r7 web-token/jwt-library (Packagist) Fixed in 3.4.10 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-6vvh-pxr4-25r7 web-token/jwt-library (Packagist) Fixed in 4.0.7 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-6vvh-pxr4-25r7 web-token/jwt-library (Packagist) Fixed in 4.1.7 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-03 Threatist record created from GHSA-6vvh-pxr4-25r7
References
Sources
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