GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf: Hono Hono Added Timing Comparison Hardening Vulnerability

LOW
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CVSS 3.7
CWE-208
Published
Advisory Summary

GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf is a LOW (CVSS 3.7) hono added timing comparison hardening vulnerability (CWE-208: Observable Timing Discrepancy) affecting Hono libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves hono added timing comparison hardening in basicauth and bearerauth. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 4.11.10.

GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf at a Glance

CVE Identifier N/A
GHSA Identifier GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf
Severity LOW
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 3.7
CWE Classification CWE-208: Observable Timing Discrepancy
Affected Product Hono
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 3.7

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).

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

How to Fix GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf

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

hono fixed: 4.11.10 
npm install hono@4.11.10
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

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

npm ls hono

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls hono

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Hono in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 4.11.10), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls hono command inspects dependencies declared in your package.json and lockfile; it does not perform automated runtime dynamic scanning.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-208: Observable Timing Discrepancy, where two separate operations in a product require different amounts of time to complete, in a way that is observable to an actor and reveals security-relevant information about the state of the product, such as whether a particular operation was successful or not. In Hono, 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

## Summary The `basicAuth` and `bearerAuth` middlewares previously used a comparison that was not fully timing-safe. The `timingSafeEqual` function used normal string equality (`===`) when comparing hash values. This comparison may stop early if values differ, which can theoretically cause small timing differences. The implementation has been updated to use a safer comparison method. ## Details The issue was caused by the use of normal string equality (`===`) when comparing hash values inside the `timingSafeEqual` function. In JavaScript, string comparison may stop as soon as a difference is found. This means the comparison time can slightly vary depending on how many characters match. Under very specific and controlled conditions, this behavior could theoretically allow timing-based analysis. The implementation has been updated to: - Avoid early termination during comparison - Use a constant-time-style comparison method ## Impact This issue is unlikely to be exploited in normal environments. It may only be relevant in highly controlled situations where precise timing measurements are possible. This change is considered a security hardening improvement. Users are encouraged to upgrade to the latest version.

GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf Affected Hono Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
4.11.10
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
hono
npm/hono
npm
< 4.11.10
4.11.10

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/honojs/hono/security/advisories/GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/honojs/hono/commit/91def7cab654bad5eecc9270e6620d577971ff5e
Hono Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/honojs/hono
Hono Release RELEASE
https://github.com/honojs/hono/releases/tag/v4.11.10

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf?
GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf is a security vulnerability in Hono involving Hono added timing comparison hardening in basicAuth and bearerAuth under CWE-208: Observable Timing Discrepancy.
Which Hono versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 4.11.10 across affected packages: hono.
What version fixes GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf?
Upgrading to 4.11.10 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is hono affected?
Yes, hono is affected in releases prior to 4.11.10. Upgrade your dependency to 4.11.10 or later.
What is the CVSS score of GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf?
GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 3.7 (LOW) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf?
GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf is classified under CWE-208: Observable Timing Discrepancy (Two separate operations in a product require different amounts of time to complete, in a way that is observable to an actor and reveals security-relevant information about the state of the product, such as whether a particular operation was successful or not.).
How can I check npm dependencies for GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls hono'. 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-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf",
  "modified" : "2026-02-19T20:15:59Z",
  "published" : "2026-02-19T20:15:59Z",
  "aliases" : [ ],
  "summary" : "Hono added timing comparison hardening in basicAuth and bearerAuth",
  "details" : "## Summary\n\nThe `basicAuth` and `bearerAuth` middlewares previously used a comparison that was not fully timing-safe.\n\nThe `timingSafeEqual` function used normal string equality (`===`) when comparing hash values. This comparison may stop early if values differ, which can theoretically cause small timing differences.\n\nThe implementation has been updated to use a safer comparison method.\n\n\n## Details\n\nThe issue was caused by the use of normal string equality (`===`) when comparing hash values inside the `timingSafeEqual` function.\n\nIn JavaScript, string comparison may stop as soon as a difference is found. This means the comparison time can slightly vary depending on how many characters match.\n\nUnder very specific and controlled conditions, this behavior could theoretically allow timing-based analysis.\n\nThe implementation has been updated to:\n\n- Avoid early termination during comparison\n- Use a constant-time-style comparison method\n\n## Impact\n\nThis issue is unlikely to be exploited in normal environments.\n\nIt may only be relevant in highly controlled situations where precise timing measurements are possible.\n\nThis change is considered a security hardening improvement. Users are encouraged to upgrade to the latest version.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "hono"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.11.10"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/honojs/hono/security/advisories/GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/honojs/hono/commit/91def7cab654bad5eecc9270e6620d577971ff5e"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/honojs/hono"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/honojs/hono/releases/tag/v4.11.10"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-208" ],
    "severity" : "LOW",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-02-19T20:15:59Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}