CVE-2016-9123: Github.com/square/go jose Integer Overflow Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-3fx4-7f69-5mmg
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-190
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2016-9123 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) integer overflow vulnerability (CWE-190: Integer Overflow or Wraparound) affecting Github.com/square/go jose libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves integer overflow in go-jose. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 0.0.0-20160903044734-789a4c4bd4c1.

CVE-2016-9123 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2016-9123
GHSA Identifier GHSA-3fx4-7f69-5mmg
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-190: Integer Overflow or Wraparound
Affected Product Github.com/square/go jose
Package Ecosystem Go
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2016-9123

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Github.com/square/go jose dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

github.com/square/go-jose fixed: 0.0.0-20160903044734-789a4c4bd4c1 
Upgrade github.com/square/go-jose to 0.0.0-20160903044734-789a4c4bd4c1
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

inspect dependencies for github.com/square/go-jose

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2016-9123, inspect your project dependencies for Github.com/square/go jose:

inspect dependencies for github.com/square/go-jose

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Github.com/square/go jose in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 0.0.0-20160903044734-789a4c4bd4c1), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-190: Integer Overflow or Wraparound, where the product performs a calculation that can produce an integer overflow or wraparound when the logic assumes that the resulting value will always be larger than the original value. this occurs when an integer value is incremented to a value that is too large to store in the associated representation. when this occurs, the value may become a very small or negative number. In Github.com/square/go jose, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

go-jose before 1.0.5 suffers from a CBC-HMAC integer overflow on 32-bit architectures. An integer overflow could lead to authentication bypass for CBC-HMAC encrypted ciphertexts on 32-bit architectures.

CVE-2016-9123 Affected Github.com/square/go jose Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
0.0.0-20160903044734-789a4c4bd4c1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
github.com/square/go-jose
golang/github.com/square/go-jose
Go
< 0.0.0-20160903044734-789a4c4bd4c1
0.0.0-20160903044734-789a4c4bd4c1

References

NVD — CVE-2016-9123 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-9123
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/square/go-jose/commit/789a4c4bd4c118f7564954f441b29c153ccd6a96
hackerone.com/reports/165170 WEB
https://hackerone.com/reports/165170
pkg.go.dev/vuln/go-2020-0009 WEB
https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2020-0009
Github.com/square/go jose Security Information SECURITY
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/11/03/1

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2016-9123?
CVE-2016-9123 is a security vulnerability in Github.com/square/go jose involving Integer Overflow in go-jose under CWE-190: Integer Overflow or Wraparound.
Which Github.com/square/go jose versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 0.0.0-20160903044734-789a4c4bd4c1 across affected packages: github.com/square/go-jose.
What version fixes CVE-2016-9123?
Upgrading to 0.0.0-20160903044734-789a4c4bd4c1 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is github.com/square/go-jose affected?
Yes, github.com/square/go-jose is affected in releases prior to 0.0.0-20160903044734-789a4c4bd4c1. Upgrade your dependency to 0.0.0-20160903044734-789a4c4bd4c1 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2016-9123?
CVE-2016-9123 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2016-9123?
CVE-2016-9123 is classified under CWE-190: Integer Overflow or Wraparound (The product performs a calculation that can produce an integer overflow or wraparound when the logic assumes that the resulting value will always be larger than the original value. This occurs when an integer value is incremented to a value that is too large to store in the associated representation. When this occurs, the value may become a very small or negative number.).
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2016-9123?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for github.com/square/go-jose'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-3fx4-7f69-5mmg",
  "modified" : "2026-07-06T15:05:22Z",
  "published" : "2021-06-23T17:14:12Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2016-9123" ],
  "summary" : "Integer Overflow in go-jose",
  "details" : "go-jose before 1.0.5 suffers from a CBC-HMAC integer overflow on 32-bit architectures. An integer overflow could lead to authentication bypass for CBC-HMAC encrypted ciphertexts on 32-bit architectures.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/square/go-jose"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "0.0.0-20160903044734-789a4c4bd4c1"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-9123"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/square/go-jose/commit/789a4c4bd4c118f7564954f441b29c153ccd6a96"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://hackerone.com/reports/165170"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2020-0009"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/11/03/1"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-190" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2021-05-20T16:26:07Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2017-03-28T02:59:00Z"
  }
}