---
id: "CVE-2026-118774"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-118774"]
title: "node-forge: certificate signature scheme check can be bypassed in X.509 verification"
severity: "low"
cvss: 3.7
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["javascript", "node-forge", "package", "tls", "x509"]
not_affected_if: ["no-certificate-verification", "not-using-node-forge"]
published_at: "2026-10-29T19:17:19+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-29T19:26:47+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-29T19:27:36+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-118774", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-29T19:26:47+00:00"}]
---

# node-forge: certificate signature scheme check can be bypassed in X.509 verification

node-forge, a JavaScript TLS and crypto library, picks RSA padding from the issuer certificate instead of the child certificate during verification. A child certificate labeled RSASSA-PSS can be accepted with a PKCS#1 v1.5 signature, which can bypass policies that require a declared signature scheme.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- Check the installed node-forge version with `npm ls node-forge` in each project.
- Look for node-forge in lockfiles such as `package-lock.json` or `yarn.lock`, including transitive dependencies.

## Fix

- node-forge: move to `1.4.1` or later.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-29T19:26:47+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-118774

## From the sources

Forge (also called node-forge) is a native implementation of Transport Layer Security in JavaScript. Prior to 1.4.1, the affected implementation used certificate.verify(child), _verifySignature(), lib/x509.js to process the relevant input or security decision. node-forge selected RSA padding and RSASSA-PSS parameters from the issuer certificate rather than the child certificate being verified. A child labeled as RSASSA-PSS could therefore be accepted with a PKCS#1 v1.5 signature when the issuer used PKCS#1 v1.5. The signature still had to be produced with the trusted issuer's private key, so this did not permit certificate identity forgery, but it could bypass policies that require a declared signature scheme. This issue is fixed in version 1.4.1.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_