CVE-2023-49290
Malicious parameters can cause a denial of service in lestrrat-go/jwx
lestrrat-go/jwx is a Go module implementing various JWx (JWA/JWE/JWK/JWS/JWT, otherwise known as JOSE) technologies. A p2c parameter set too high in JWE's algorithm PBES2-* could lead to a denial of service. The JWE key management algorithms based on PBKDF2 require a JOSE Header Parameter called p2c (PBES2 Count). This parameter dictates the number of PBKDF2 iterations needed to derive a CEK wrapping key. Its primary purpose is to intentionally slow down the key derivation function, making password brute-force and dictionary attacks more resource- intensive. Therefore, if an attacker sets the p2c parameter in JWE to a very large number, it can cause a lot of computational consumption, resulting in a denial of service. This vulnerability has been addressed in commit 64f2a229b which has been included in release version 1.2.27 and 2.0.18. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
5.3
Malicious parameters can cause a denial of service in lestrrat-go/jwx
lestrrat-go/jwx is a Go module implementing various JWx (JWA/JWE/JWK/JWS/JWT, otherwise known as JOSE) technologies. A p2c parameter set too high in JWE's algorithm PBES2-* could lead to a denial of service. The JWE key management algorithms based on PBKDF2 require a JOSE Header Parameter called p2c (PBES2 Count). This parameter dictates the number of PBKDF2 iterations needed to derive a CEK wrapping key. Its primary purpose is to intentionally slow down the key derivation function, making password brute-force and dictionary attacks more resource- intensive. Therefore, if an attacker sets the p2c parameter in JWE to a very large number, it can cause a lot of computational consumption, resulting in a denial of service. This vulnerability has been addressed in commit 64f2a229b which has been included in release version 1.2.27 and 2.0.18. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.
- Record
CVE-2023-49290- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-400
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-3143
5.3
lestrrat-go/jwx is a Go module implementing various JWx (JWA/JWE/JWK/JWS/JWT, otherwise known as JOSE) technologies. A p2c parameter set too high in JWE's algorithm PBES2-* could lead to a denial of service. The JWE key management algorithms based on PBKDF2 require a JOSE Header Parameter called p2c (PBES2 Count). This parameter dictates the number of PBKDF2 iterations needed to derive a CEK wrapping key. Its primary purpose is to intentionally slow down the key derivation function, making password brute-force and dictionary attacks more resource- intensive. Therefore, if an attacker sets the p2c parameter in JWE to a very large number, it can cause a lot of computational consumption, resulting in a denial of service. This vulnerability has been addressed in commit 64f2a229b which has been included in release version 1.2.27 and 2.0.18. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.
- Record
EUVD-2023-3143- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-7f9x-gw85-8grf
5.3
lestrrat-go/jwx's malicious parameters in JWE can cause a DOS
Summary
too high p2c parameter in JWE's alg PBES2-* could lead to a DOS attack
Details
The JWE key management algorithms based on PBKDF2 require a JOSE Header Parameter called p2c (PBES2 Count). This parameter dictates the number of PBKDF2 iterations needed to derive a CEK wrapping key. Its primary purpose is to intentionally slow down the key derivation function, making password brute-force and dictionary attacks more resource- intensive. Therefore, if an attacker sets the p2c parameter in JWE to a very large number, it can cause a lot of computational consumption, resulting in a DOS attack
PoC
package main
import (
"fmt"
"github.com/lestrrat-go/jwx/v2/jwa"
"github.com/lestrrat-go/jwx/v2/jwe"
"github.com/lestrrat-go/jwx/v2/jwk"
)
func main() {
token := []byte("eyJhbGciOiJQQkVTMi1IUzI1NitBMTI4S1ciLCJlbmMiOiJBMjU2R0NNIiwicDJjIjoyMDAwMDAwMDAwLCJwMnMiOiJNNzczSnlmV2xlX2FsSXNrc0NOTU9BIn0=.S8B1kXdIR7BM6i_TaGsgqEOxU-1Sgdakp4mHq7UVhn-_REzOiGz2gg.gU_LfzhBXtQdwYjh.9QUIS-RWkLc.m9TudmzUoCzDhHsGGfzmCA")
key, err := jwk.FromRaw([]byte(`abcdefg`))
payload, err := jwe.Decrypt(token, jwe.WithKey(jwa.PBES2_HS256_A128KW, key))
if err == nil {
fmt.Println(string(payload))
}
}
Impact
It's a kind of Dos attack, the user's environment could potentially utilize an excessive amount of CPU resources.
- Record
GHSA-7f9x-gw85-8grf- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-400
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
5.3
lestrrat-go/jwx is a Go module implementing various JWx (JWA/JWE/JWK/JWS/JWT, otherwise known as JOSE) technologies. A p2c parameter set too high in JWE's algorithm PBES2-* could lead to a denial of service. The JWE key management algorithms based on PBKDF2 require a JOSE Header Parameter called p2c (PBES2 Count). This parameter dictates the number of PBKDF2 iterations needed to derive a CEK wrapping key. Its primary purpose is to intentionally slow down the key derivation function, making password brute-force and dictionary attacks more resource- intensive. Therefore, if an attacker sets the p2c parameter in JWE to a very large number, it can cause a lot of computational consumption, resulting in a denial of service. This vulnerability has been addressed in commit 64f2a229b which has been included in release version 1.2.27 and 2.0.18. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.
- Record
CVE-2023-49290- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-400
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
5.3
Malicious parameters can cause a denial of service in lestrrat-go/jwx
lestrrat-go/jwx is a Go module implementing various JWx (JWA/JWE/JWK/JWS/JWT, otherwise known as JOSE) technologies. A p2c parameter set too high in JWE's algorithm PBES2-* could lead to a denial of service. The JWE key management algorithms based on PBKDF2 require a JOSE Header Parameter called p2c (PBES2 Count). This parameter dictates the number of PBKDF2 iterations needed to derive a CEK wrapping key. Its primary purpose is to intentionally slow down the key derivation function, making password brute-force and dictionary attacks more resource- intensive. Therefore, if an attacker sets the p2c parameter in JWE to a very large number, it can cause a lot of computational consumption, resulting in a denial of service. This vulnerability has been addressed in commit 64f2a229b which has been included in release version 1.2.27 and 2.0.18. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.
- Record
CVE-2023-49290- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-400
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-7f9x-gw85-8grf
5.3
lestrrat-go/jwx's malicious parameters in JWE can cause a DOS
Summary
too high p2c parameter in JWE's alg PBES2-* could lead to a DOS attack
Details
The JWE key management algorithms based on PBKDF2 require a JOSE Header Parameter called p2c (PBES2 Count). This parameter dictates the number of PBKDF2 iterations needed to derive a CEK wrapping key. Its primary purpose is to intentionally slow down the key derivation function, making password brute-force and dictionary attacks more resource- intensive. Therefore, if an attacker sets the p2c parameter in JWE to a very large number, it can cause a lot of computational consumption, resulting in a DOS attack
PoC
package main
import (
"fmt"
"github.com/lestrrat-go/jwx/v2/jwa"
"github.com/lestrrat-go/jwx/v2/jwe"
"github.com/lestrrat-go/jwx/v2/jwk"
)
func main() {
token := []byte("eyJhbGciOiJQQkVTMi1IUzI1NitBMTI4S1ciLCJlbmMiOiJBMjU2R0NNIiwicDJjIjoyMDAwMDAwMDAwLCJwMnMiOiJNNzczSnlmV2xlX2FsSXNrc0NOTU9BIn0=.S8B1kXdIR7BM6i_TaGsgqEOxU-1Sgdakp4mHq7UVhn-_REzOiGz2gg.gU_LfzhBXtQdwYjh.9QUIS-RWkLc.m9TudmzUoCzDhHsGGfzmCA")
key, err := jwk.FromRaw([]byte(`abcdefg`))
payload, err := jwe.Decrypt(token, jwe.WithKey(jwa.PBES2_HS256_A128KW, key))
if err == nil {
fmt.Println(string(payload))
}
}
Impact
It's a kind of Dos attack, the user's environment could potentially utilize an excessive amount of CPU resources.
- Record
GHSA-7f9x-gw85-8grf- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-400
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGO-2023-2379 No score
Denial of service due to malicious parameters in github.com/lestrrat-go/jwx
The JWE key management algorithms based on PBKDF2 require a JOSE Header Parameter called p2c (PBES2 Count). This parameter dictates the number of PBKDF2 iterations needed to derive a CEK wrapping key. Its purpose is to intentionally slow down the key derivation function, making password brute-force and dictionary attacks more resource-intensive. However, if an attacker sets the p2c parameter in JWE to a very large number, it can cause excessive computational consumption.
- Record
GO-2023-2379- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
github.com/lestrrat-go/jwxGo |
before 1.2.27 | 1.2.27 |
github.com/lestrrat-go/jwx/v2Go |
before 2.0.18 | 2.0.18 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-49290 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.3) in Lestrrat-go Jwx, published December 4, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.73%, the 54th percentile. Fixed in github.com/lestrrat-go/jwx 1.2.27.
References
github.com/lestrrat-go/jwx/security/advisories/GHSA-7f9x-gw85-8grf
github.com/lestrrat-go/jwx/commit/64f2a229b8e18605f47361d292b526bdc4aee01c
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-49290
github.com/advisories/GHSA-7f9x-gw85-8grf
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2023/49xxx/CVE-2023-49290.json
github.com/lestrrat-go/jwx