GHSA-5MRQ-X3X5-8V8F

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-05-05 17:03 – Updated: 2026-06-06 00:27
VLAI
Summary
Jupyter Server's Authentication Cookies Remain Valid After Password Reset and Server Restart
Details

Summary

A persistent cookie secret vulnerability allows authenticated users to maintain indefinite access even after password changes.

The cookie secret used to sign authentication cookies is stored in a permanent file (~/.local/share/jupyter/runtime/jupyter_cookie_secret) that is never automatically rotated or cleared, allowing stolen or compromised cookies to remain valid indefinitely regardless of password resets.

PoC

  • Start a Jupyter server with password authentication: jupyter server password, jupyter server
  • Log in with the password and capture the authentication cookie (e.g., just login with a browser).
  • Change the password to revoke access: jupyter server password
  • Restart the server
  • Use the old stolen cookie => remains valid and provides full authenticated access.

Impact

  • All jupyter-server deployments using password authentication where security incidents may occur
  • Multi-user systems where one user's compromised session should be revocable by administrators
  • Shared or public-facing Jupyter servers where credential rotation is a security requirement
  • Any deployment where password changes are expected to revoke existing sessions

Patches

Jupyter Server 2.18+

Workaround

rm ~/.local/share/jupyter/runtime/jupyter_cookie_secret
# Then restart the server
Severity
6.8 (Medium)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
7.6 (High)
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Show details on source website
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{
  "affected": [
    {
      "database_specific": {
        "last_known_affected_version_range": "\u003c= 2.17.0"
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "PyPI",
        "name": "jupyter-server"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "2.18.0"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-40934"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-613"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2026-05-05T17:03:24Z",
    "nvd_published_at": "2026-05-05T22:16:00Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "## Summary\n\nA persistent cookie secret vulnerability allows authenticated users to maintain indefinite access even after password changes. \n\nThe cookie secret used to sign authentication cookies is stored in a permanent file (`~/.local/share/jupyter/runtime/jupyter_cookie_secret`) that is never automatically rotated or cleared, allowing stolen or compromised cookies to remain valid indefinitely regardless of password resets.\n\n## PoC\n\n- Start a Jupyter server with password authentication: `jupyter server password`, `jupyter server`\n- Log in with the password and capture the authentication cookie (e.g., just login with a browser).\n- Change the password to revoke access: `jupyter server password`\n- Restart the server\n- Use the old stolen cookie =\u003e remains valid and provides full authenticated access.\n\n## Impact\n\n- All jupyter-server deployments using password authentication where security incidents may occur\n- Multi-user systems where one user\u0027s compromised session should be revocable by administrators\n- Shared or public-facing Jupyter servers where credential rotation is a security requirement\n- Any deployment where password changes are expected to revoke existing sessions\n\n## Patches\n\nJupyter Server 2.18+\n\n## Workaround\n\n```bash\nrm ~/.local/share/jupyter/runtime/jupyter_cookie_secret\n# Then restart the server\n```",
  "id": "GHSA-5mrq-x3x5-8v8f",
  "modified": "2026-06-06T00:27:08Z",
  "published": "2026-05-05T17:03:24Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/jupyter-server/jupyter_server/security/advisories/GHSA-5mrq-x3x5-8v8f"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-40934"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/jupyter-server/jupyter_server"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/jupyter-server/PYSEC-2026-69.yaml"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    },
    {
      "score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N",
      "type": "CVSS_V4"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "Jupyter Server\u0027s Authentication Cookies Remain Valid After Password Reset and Server Restart"
}



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Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

Author Source Type Date Other

Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.



Related by attack behaviour

Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.