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Defense in depth enhancement for CloudFront signing utility

High
aws-sdk-java-automation published GHSA-jxj9-3p6x-6pmf Mar 25, 2026

Package

maven com.amazonaws.services.cloudfront (Maven)

Affected versions

> 1.10.73

Patched versions

None

Description

Summary  

This advisory is related to the CloudFront signing utilities CloudFrontUrlSigner and CloudFrontCookieSigner in the AWS SDK for Java v1, which are used to generate Amazon CloudFront signed URLs and signed cookies. A defense-in-depth enhancement has been identified to improve handling of special characters, such as double quotes and backslashes, in input values. This enhancement has been implemented in the AWS SDK for Java v2. The AWS SDK for Java v1 will not receive this update as it has reached end-of-support. 

Impact  

The CloudFront signing utilities build policy documents that define access restrictions for signed URLs and cookies. If an application passes unsanitized input containing special characters to these utilities, the resulting policy document may not reflect the application's intended access restrictions. While the SDK was functioning safely within the requirements of the shared responsibility model, additional safeguards have been added in the AWS SDK for Java v2 version 2.41.30 to support secure customer implementations. Applications that already follow AWS security best practices for input validation are not impacted.  

Impacted versions:

All AWS SDK for Java v1 versions since 1.10.73 

Patches

The AWS SDK for Java v1 reached end-of-support on December 31, 2025, and no further releases will be made. We recommend customers migrate to the CloudFrontUtilities from AWS SDK for Java v2, which includes this enhancement and will continue to receive updates and long-term support.  

Workarounds:  

No workarounds are needed, but you should ensure that your application is following security best practices:  

  • Implement proper input validation in your application code before passing values to CloudFront signing utilities  

Migrate to the AWS SDK for Java v2 

For CloudFront signing utilities migration guidance, see Migration Guide.

Migration Example  

// Change your Maven dependency as needed: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/sdk-for-java/latest/developer-guide/migration-cloudfront-presigning.html 

// AWS SDK for Java v1  

String signedUrl = CloudFrontUrlSigner.getSignedURLWithCannedPolicy(resourceUrl, keyPairId, privateKey, expirationDate); 

// AWS SDK for Java v2 

SignedUrl signedUrl = CloudFrontUtilities.create().getSignedUrlWithCannedPolicy(r -> r 

.resourceUrl(resourceUrl) 

.privateKey(privateKey) 

.keyPairId(keyPairId) 

.expirationDate(expirationDate)); 

References  

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory, we ask that you contact [AWS/Amazon] Security via our vulnerability reporting page or directly via email to aws-security@amazon.com. Please do not create a public GitHub issue.

CloudFrontUrlSigner: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSJavaSDK/latest/javadoc/com/amazonaws/services/cloudfront/CloudFrontUrlSigner.html

CloudFrontCookieSigner: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSJavaSDK/latest/javadoc/com/amazonaws/services/cloudfront/CloudFrontCookieSigner.html

AWS SDK for Java v1 End-of-Support Announcement: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/developer/announcing-end-of-support-for-aws-sdk-for-java-v1-x-on-december-31-2025/)  

AWS SDK for Java v2 Migration Guide: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/sdk-for-java/latest/developer-guide/migration.html

CloudFront Presigning Migration Guide: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/sdk-for-java/latest/developer-guide/migration-cloudfront-presigning.html

Severity

High

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v4 base metrics

Exploitability Metrics
Attack Vector Network
Attack Complexity Low
Attack Requirements None
Privileges Required None
User interaction None
Vulnerable System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality None
Integrity Low
Availability None
Subsequent System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality High
Integrity None
Availability None

CVSS v4 base metrics

Exploitability Metrics
Attack Vector: This metric reflects the context by which vulnerability exploitation is possible. This metric value (and consequently the resulting severity) will be larger the more remote (logically, and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerable system. The assumption is that the number of potential attackers for a vulnerability that could be exploited from across a network is larger than the number of potential attackers that could exploit a vulnerability requiring physical access to a device, and therefore warrants a greater severity.
Attack Complexity: This metric captures measurable actions that must be taken by the attacker to actively evade or circumvent existing built-in security-enhancing conditions in order to obtain a working exploit. These are conditions whose primary purpose is to increase security and/or increase exploit engineering complexity. A vulnerability exploitable without a target-specific variable has a lower complexity than a vulnerability that would require non-trivial customization. This metric is meant to capture security mechanisms utilized by the vulnerable system.
Attack Requirements: This metric captures the prerequisite deployment and execution conditions or variables of the vulnerable system that enable the attack. These differ from security-enhancing techniques/technologies (ref Attack Complexity) as the primary purpose of these conditions is not to explicitly mitigate attacks, but rather, emerge naturally as a consequence of the deployment and execution of the vulnerable system.
Privileges Required: This metric describes the level of privileges an attacker must possess prior to successfully exploiting the vulnerability. The method by which the attacker obtains privileged credentials prior to the attack (e.g., free trial accounts), is outside the scope of this metric. Generally, self-service provisioned accounts do not constitute a privilege requirement if the attacker can grant themselves privileges as part of the attack.
User interaction: This metric captures the requirement for a human user, other than the attacker, to participate in the successful compromise of the vulnerable system. This metric determines whether the vulnerability can be exploited solely at the will of the attacker, or whether a separate user (or user-initiated process) must participate in some manner.
Vulnerable System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality: This metric measures the impact to the confidentiality of the information managed by the VULNERABLE SYSTEM due to a successfully exploited vulnerability. Confidentiality refers to limiting information access and disclosure to only authorized users, as well as preventing access by, or disclosure to, unauthorized ones.
Integrity: This metric measures the impact to integrity of a successfully exploited vulnerability. Integrity refers to the trustworthiness and veracity of information. Integrity of the VULNERABLE SYSTEM is impacted when an attacker makes unauthorized modification of system data. Integrity is also impacted when a system user can repudiate critical actions taken in the context of the system (e.g. due to insufficient logging).
Availability: This metric measures the impact to the availability of the VULNERABLE SYSTEM resulting from a successfully exploited vulnerability. While the Confidentiality and Integrity impact metrics apply to the loss of confidentiality or integrity of data (e.g., information, files) used by the system, this metric refers to the loss of availability of the impacted system itself, such as a networked service (e.g., web, database, email). Since availability refers to the accessibility of information resources, attacks that consume network bandwidth, processor cycles, or disk space all impact the availability of a system.
Subsequent System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality: This metric measures the impact to the confidentiality of the information managed by the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM due to a successfully exploited vulnerability. Confidentiality refers to limiting information access and disclosure to only authorized users, as well as preventing access by, or disclosure to, unauthorized ones.
Integrity: This metric measures the impact to integrity of a successfully exploited vulnerability. Integrity refers to the trustworthiness and veracity of information. Integrity of the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM is impacted when an attacker makes unauthorized modification of system data. Integrity is also impacted when a system user can repudiate critical actions taken in the context of the system (e.g. due to insufficient logging).
Availability: This metric measures the impact to the availability of the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM resulting from a successfully exploited vulnerability. While the Confidentiality and Integrity impact metrics apply to the loss of confidentiality or integrity of data (e.g., information, files) used by the system, this metric refers to the loss of availability of the impacted system itself, such as a networked service (e.g., web, database, email). Since availability refers to the accessibility of information resources, attacks that consume network bandwidth, processor cycles, or disk space all impact the availability of a system.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:H/SI:N/SA:N

CVE ID

No known CVE

Weaknesses

No CWEs