# CVE-2025-24976: Distribution's token authentication allows attacker to inject an untrusted signing key in a JWT

> Attackers can inject untrusted signing keys into JWTs in container registries with token auth, bypassing authentication and potentially executing code.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.6 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 Feb 2025
- **Updated:** 23 Jan 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-phw4-mc57-4hwc, GO-2025-3460, MINI-28c4-wgch-v24v, MINI-4f52-62f8-cfwq, MINI-c6v4-w2g2-5q6c, MINI-g8qp-4cg4-vvq6, MINI-gwqg-79wv-f2gf, MINI-hgwv-663j-wrmv, MINI-m3mq-hm99-6p3v, MINI-mw3f-8334-87x4, MINI-w9p4-664w-hqw8

## What is CVE-2025-24976?

CVE-2025-24976 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in distribution, published on 11 Feb 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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.

Weakness: CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-24976?

1 open source package ship an affected version, including github.com/distribution/distribution.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/distribution/distribution` | Go | All versions | None |

## How do I fix CVE-2025-24976?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-24976 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-24976 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-24976 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-24976 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in distribution, published on 11 Feb 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-24976 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/distribution/distribution (Go): affected all versions; no fix listed

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-24976/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-24976/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-24976
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-24976
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-24976

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-24976/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.