Description
FastAPI Api Key provides a backend-agnostic library that provides an API key system. Version 1.1.0 has a timing side-channel vulnerability in verify_key(). The method applied a random delay only on verification failures, allowing an attacker to statistically distinguish valid from invalid API keys by measuring response latencies. With enough repeated requests, an adversary could infer whether a key_id corresponds to a valid key, potentially accelerating brute-force or enumeration attacks. All users relying on verify_key() for API key authentication prior to the fix are affected. Users should upgrade to version 1.1.0 to receive a patch. The patch applies a uniform random delay (min_delay to max_delay) to all responses regardless of outcome, eliminating the timing correlation. Some workarounds are available. Add an application-level fixed delay or random jitter to all authentication responses (success and failure) before the fix is applied and/or use rate limiting to reduce the feasibility of statistical timing attacks.
Published: 2026-01-21
Score: 3.7 Low
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: API key enumeration via timing side‑channel
Action: Patch Immediately
AI Analysis

Analysis and contextual insights are available on OpenCVE Cloud.

Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

Additional remediation guidance may be available on OpenCVE Cloud.

Tracking

Sign in to view the affected projects.

Advisories
Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-95c6-p277-p87g FastAPI Api Key has a timing side-channel in verify_key that allows statistical key validity detection
History

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Athroniaeth fastapi Api Key
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:athroniaeth:fastapi_api_key:*:*:*:*:*:python:*:*
Vendors & Products Athroniaeth fastapi Api Key

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 16:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Athroniaeth
Athroniaeth fastapi-api-key
Vendors & Products Athroniaeth
Athroniaeth fastapi-api-key

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 23:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Wed, 21 Jan 2026 22:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description FastAPI Api Key provides a backend-agnostic library that provides an API key system. Version 1.1.0 has a timing side-channel vulnerability in verify_key(). The method applied a random delay only on verification failures, allowing an attacker to statistically distinguish valid from invalid API keys by measuring response latencies. With enough repeated requests, an adversary could infer whether a key_id corresponds to a valid key, potentially accelerating brute-force or enumeration attacks. All users relying on verify_key() for API key authentication prior to the fix are affected. Users should upgrade to version 1.1.0 to receive a patch. The patch applies a uniform random delay (min_delay to max_delay) to all responses regardless of outcome, eliminating the timing correlation. Some workarounds are available. Add an application-level fixed delay or random jitter to all authentication responses (success and failure) before the fix is applied and/or use rate limiting to reduce the feasibility of statistical timing attacks.
Title FastAPI Api Key has a timing side-channel in verify_key that allows statistical key validity detection
Weaknesses CWE-208
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 3.7, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N'}


Subscriptions

Athroniaeth Fastapi-api-key Fastapi Api Key
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published:

Updated: 2026-01-22T16:49:16.733Z

Reserved: 2026-01-19T18:49:20.658Z

Link: CVE-2026-23996

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-01-22T15:09:25.177Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2026-01-21T23:15:53.090

Modified: 2026-02-27T14:52:40.820

Link: CVE-2026-23996

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-04-18T15:45:04Z

Weaknesses