CVE-2025-62610

Description

### Improper Authorization in Hono (JWT Audience Validation) Hono’s JWT authentication middleware did not validate the `aud` (Audience) claim by default. As a result, applications using the middleware without an explicit audience check could accept tokens intended for other audiences, leading to potential cross-service access (token mix-up). The issue is addressed by adding a new `verification.aud` configuration option to allow RFC 7519–compliant audience validation. This change is classified as a **security hardening improvement**, but the lack of validation can still be considered a vulnerability in deployments that rely on default JWT verification. ### Recommended secure configuration You can enable RFC 7519–compliant audience validation using the new `verification.aud` option: ```ts import { Hono } from 'hono' import { jwt } from 'hono/jwt' const app = new Hono() app.use( '/api/*', jwt({ secret: 'my-secret', verification: { // Require this API to only accept tokens with aud = 'service-a' aud: 'service-a', }, }) ) ``` Below is the original description by the reporter. For security reasons, it does not include PoC reproduction steps, as the vulnerability can be clearly understood from the technical description. --- ## The original description by the reporter ### Summary Hono’s **JWT Auth Middleware does not provide a built-in `aud` (Audience) verification option**, which can cause **confused-deputy / token-mix-up** issues: an API may accept a valid token that was **issued for a different audience** (e.g., another service) when multiple services share the same issuer/keys. This can lead to unintended cross-service access. Hono’s docs list verification options for `iss/nbf/iat/exp` only, with **no `aud` support**; RFC 7519 requires that when an `aud` claim is present, tokens **MUST** be rejected unless the processing party identifies itself in that claim. **Note:** This problem likely exists in the **JWK/JWKS-based middleware** as well (e.g., `jwk` / `verifyWithJwks`) ### Details - The middleware’s `verifyOptions` enumerate only `iss`, `nbf`, `iat`, and `exp`; there is **no `aud` option**. The same omission appears in the JWT Helper’s “Payload Validation” list. Developers relying on the middleware for complete standards-aligned validation therefore won’t check audience by default. - **Standards requirement:** RFC 7519 §4.1.3 states that each principal intended to process the JWT **MUST** identify itself with a value in the `aud` claim; if it does not, the JWT **MUST** be rejected (when `aud` is present). Lack of a first-class `aud` check increases the risk that tokens issued for **Service B** are accepted by **Service A**. - **Real-world effect:** In deployments with a single IdP/JWKS and shared keys across multiple services, a token minted for one audience can be mistakenly accepted by another audience unless developers implement a custom audience check. - For example, with Google Identity (OIDC), iss is always https://accounts.google.com (shared across apps), but aud differs per application because it is that app’s OAuth client ID; therefore, an attacker can host a separate service that supports “Sign in with Google,” obtain a valid ID token (JWT) for the victim user, and—if your API does not verify aud—use that token to access your API with the victim’s privileges. ### Impact **Type:** Authentication/authorization weakness via **token mix-up (confused-deputy)**. **Who is impacted:** Any Hono user who: - shares an issuer/keys across multiple services (common with a single IdP/JWKS) - distinguishes tokens by intended recipient using `aud`. **What can happen:** - **Cross-service access:** A token for *Service B* may be accepted by *Service A*. - **Boundary erosion:** ID tokens and access tokens, or separate API audiences, can be inadvertently intermixed. - This may causes unauthorized invocation of sensitive endpoints. **Recommended remediation:** 1) Add `verifyOptions.aud` (`string | string[] | RegExp`) to the middleware and enforce RFC 7519 semantics: In [verify method](https://github.com/honojs/hono/blob/db764c2f1d8a2905d66c78c41aa47e47d3a4165d/src/utils/jwt/jwt.ts#L99-L156), if `aud` is present and does not match with specified audiences, reject. 2) Ensure equivalent `aud` handling exists in the JWK/JWKS flow (`jwk` middleware / `verifyWithJwks`) so users of external IdPs can enforce audience consistently.