Critical severity · published Mar 27, 2026
CVE-2026-33896
Forge has a basicConstraints bypass in its certificate chain verification (RFC 5280 violation)
9.1
CVSS
0.4%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
Forge (also called `node-forge`) is a native implementation of Transport Layer Security in JavaScript. Prior to version 1.4.0, `pki.verifyCertificateChain()` does not enforce RFC 5280 basicConstraints requirements when an intermediate certificate lacks both the `basicConstraints` and `keyUsage` extensions. This allows any leaf certificate (without these extensions) to act as a CA and sign other certificates, which node-forge will accept as valid. Version 1.4.0 patches the issue.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
None
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.4% · higher than 30% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
FO
forge · digitalbazaar
< 1.4.0 · source: vendor, NVD
CO
Cluster Observability Operator 1.5.0 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
LS
Logging Subsystem for Red Hat OpenShift · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.5 for RHEL 8 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.5 for RHEL 9 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Build of Podman Desktop · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Data Grid 8 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Developer Hub 1.8 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Developer Hub 1.9 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Fuse 7 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-33896
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-33896
Patch
https://github.com/digitalbazaar/forge/commit/2e492832fb25227e6b647cbe1ac981c123171e90
Exploit
https://github.com/digitalbazaar/forge/security/advisories/GHSA-2328-f5f3-gj25
access.redhat.com
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:13826
access.redhat.com
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:24761
access.redhat.com
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:34342
access.redhat.com
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:9742
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