---
title: "CVE-2026-38651: Netmaker does not verify JWT signatures for host tokens"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-38651/
description: "CVE-2026-38651 (github.com/gravitl/netmaker (Go)): Authentication Bypass vulnerability exists in Netmaker versions prior to 1.5.0. The VerifyHostToken…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2026-04-28
date_modified: 2026-05-05
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2026-38651"
kev: false
cvss: 9.2
epss: 0.0044
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2026-38651: Netmaker does not verify JWT signatures for host tokens

**Signal:** Critical and remotely reachable. No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- Not in CISA KEV , but CISA’s SSVC assessment records a public proof-of-concept, so attack code exists.
- EPSS 0.4% , percentile 37: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.4% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 37% of all scored CVEs (low). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
- Only applies if your dependency tree includes github.com/gravitl/netmaker (Go) < 1.5.0, fixed in 1.5.0 . Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

## What it is

Authentication Bypass vulnerability exists in Netmaker versions prior to 1.5.0. The VerifyHostToken function in logic/jwts.go fails to validate the JWT signature when verifying host tokens. An attacker can forge a JWT signed with any arbitrary key and use it to impersonate any host in the network, gaining access to sensitive information

## Affected packages

- Go `github.com/gravitl/netmaker` < 1.5.0 → fixed: 1.5.0

## Affected products (CVE record)

- n/a n/a: see advisory

## Severity

- CISA-ADP CVSS 3.1: 8.2 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N`
- GitHub CVSS 4.0: 9.2 `CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:L/VA:N/SC:H/SI:L/SA:N`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation poc , automatable yes , technical impact partial .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.44% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 37.

## Sources

- [GitHub Advisory GHSA-qpv2-rwc8-c993](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-qpv2-rwc8-c993)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2026-38651](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-38651)
- [NVD entry CVE-2026-38651](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-38651)
- [github.com](https://github.com/gravitl/netmaker/commit/5309aa70d464ef565911369714d661a61481a79b)
- [zyenra.com](https://www.zyenra.com/blog/netmaker-jwt-verification-bypass)
- [zyenra.com](https://www.zyenra.com/advisories/netmaker-jwt-verification-bypass)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-38651/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt