# CVE-2026-56265: Crawl4AI - Authentication Bypass via Hardcoded JWT Signing Key

> Attackers can bypass authentication and gain full access to Crawl4AI's Docker API server by exploiting a hardcoded default JWT signing key.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 21 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 14 Jul 2026

## What is CVE-2026-56265?

CVE-2026-56265 is a critical vulnerability in Crawl4AI, published on 21 Jun 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Crawl4AI before 0.8.7 contains an authentication bypass vulnerability due to a hardcoded default JWT signing key in the Docker API server. Attackers who know the default key can forge valid authentication tokens for any user, bypassing authentication and gaining full access to protected functionality.

Weakness: CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-56265?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Kidocode Crawl4ai.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-56265?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-56265 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-56265 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Crawl4AI < 0.8.7 - Hardcoded JWT Signing Key Authentication Bypass (nuclei): http/cves/2026/CVE-2026-56265.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in Crawl4AI

- [CVE-2026-57572](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-57572/): Crawl4AI: Unauthenticated RCE via Chromium launch-argument injection in browser_config.extra_args (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-26216](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26216/): Crawl4AI < 0.8.0 Docker API Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution via Hooks Parameter (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-53753](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53753/): Crawl4AI: AST Sandbox Escape via gi_frame.f_back Chain - Pre-Auth RCE in Docker API (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-57571](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-57571/): Crawl4AI arbitrary file write via download filename path traversal (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2026-56261](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-56261/): Crawl4AI - Server-Side Request Forgery via Webhook URLs (critical 9.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-56265 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-56265 is a critical vulnerability in Crawl4AI, published on 21 Jun 2026. 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-2026-56265 exists.

Affected product: Crawl4AI. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2026-56265/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-56265/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-56265
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-56265
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-56265

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-56265/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.