CVE-2024-10920
JWT Secret Handler Hard-Coded Cryptographic Key
Executive Summary
CVE-2024-10920 is a high severity vulnerability affecting pii-secrets. It is classified as Hard-coded Credentials. Ensure your systems and dependencies are patched immediately to mitigate exposure risks.
Precogs AI Insight
"Architecturally, this flaw occurs due to within JWT Secret Handler Hard-Coded Cryptographic Key., allowing a failure to enforce strict data boundary conditions. Adversaries commonly weaponize this defect by gain unauthorized read or write access, effectively hijacking underlying configurations. By scanning all web responses and configuration files, Precogs is able to flag these architectural defects instantly."
What is this vulnerability?
CVE-2024-10920 is categorized as a critical Sensitive Data Exposure flaw. Based on our vulnerability intelligence, this issue occurs when the application fails to securely handle untrusted data boundaries.
JWT Secret Handler Hard-Coded Cryptographic Key. CVSS 7.5 — JWT implementation flaw — embedded secret in executable binary.
This architectural defect enables adversaries to bypass intended security controls, directly manipulating the application's execution state or data layer. Immediate strategic intervention is required.
Risk Assessment
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| CVSS Base Score | 7.5 (HIGH) |
| Vector String | N/A |
| Published | March 21, 2026 |
| Last Modified | March 21, 2026 |
| Related CWEs | CWE-798 |
Impact on Systems
✅ Authentication Bypass: Leaked credentials allow attackers to impersonate legitimate users or systems.
✅ Data Breach: Exposed PII triggers regulatory violations (GDPR/CCPA) and massive reputational damage.
✅ Lateral Movement: Exposed API tokens can be used to pivot deeper into internal infrastructure.
How to fix this issue?
Implement the following strategic mitigations immediately to eliminate the attack surface.
1. Secret Management Migrate all hardcoded secrets to a secure vault (e.g., AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault).
2. Data Masking Implement automated redaction for logs to prevent PII/credentials from leaking into observability platforms.
3. Automated Scanning Deploy Precogs Secrets Scanner in pre-commit hooks and CI pipelines to prevent secret commits.
Vulnerability Signature
// Generic Secrets Exposure Vector
// DANGEROUS: Hardcoded secrets in source control or logs
const apiKey = "sk_live_1234567890abcdef";
console.log(`Connecting to API with key $\{apiKey\}`);
// SECURED: Secrets fetched from environment at runtime
const apiKey = process.env.API_SECRET_KEY;
if (!apiKey) throw new Error("API configuration missing");
// Never log secrets
console.log('Connecting to API... [REDACTED]');
References and Sources
- NVD — CVE-2024-10920
- MITRE — CVE-2024-10920
- CWE-798 — MITRE CWE
- CWE-798 Details
- PII and Secrets Exposure
Vulnerability Code Signature
Attack Data Flow
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Source | Source code repository |
| Vector | Secrets embedded directly in the codebase |
| Sink | Authentication API or database connection |
| Impact | Unauthorized access, data breach |
Vulnerable Code Pattern
// ❌ VULNERABLE: Hardcoded credential
public class DatabaseConfig {
// Taint sink: secret embedded in code
public static final String DB_PASSWORD = "SuperSecretPassword123!";
}
Secure Code Pattern
// ✅ SECURE: Environment variables
public class DatabaseConfig {
// Sanitized configuration
public static final String DB_PASSWORD = System.getenv("DB_PASSWORD");
}
How Precogs Detects This
Precogs PII & Secrets Scanner continuously monitors codebases for hardcoded secrets, API keys, and reversible encryption.\n