# CVE-2026-119189: Forge X.509 pathLenConstraint bypass in certificate verification

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-119189-forge-also-called-node-forge-is-a-native-implementation-of  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-10-29. Updated: 2026-10-29  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-119189 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.9 · Published 2026-10-29

Forge is a JavaScript library that implements Transport Layer Security and X.509 certificate validation. The library fails to enforce certificate chain length restrictions on CA certificates that lack a keyUsage extension, allowing an attacker with a CA's private key to issue certificates exceeding the declared path length that still pass validation. This could enable an attacker to create fraudulent certificate chains in applications using Forge.

Technologies: [Digital Bazaar Forge](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/forge), [node-forge (npm)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/node-forge). Vendors: [Digital Bazaar](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/digital-bazaar), [npm](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/npm).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-119189 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-119189 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-119189?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.9, published 29 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Digital Bazaar Forge before 1.4.1; node-forge (npm) <= 1.4.0, SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=1.4.1.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-119189?** Yes. node-forge (npm): upgrade to 1.4.1 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-119189 attacked?** It is attacked over the network.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-119189?** Check whether you run Digital Bazaar Forge or node-forge (npm) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- node-forge (npm): upgrade to 1.4.1 or later

  ```sh
  npm install node-forge@1.4.1
  ```


## Technical details

The vulnerability is an incomplete constraint enforcement in X.509 certificate chain validation: pki.verifyCertificateChain() only enforces basicConstraints.pathLenConstraint when the CA certificate also carries a keyUsage extension. An attacker who possesses a constrained CA's private key or a subordinate CA certificate from it can construct a certificate chain exceeding the declared path length that bypasses validation. The fix in version 1.4.1 enforces pathLenConstraint regardless of keyUsage extension presence.

## Affected products

- Digital Bazaar Forge before 1.4.1

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-119189
- GHSA-h46v-rmh6-fq4f

## Timeline

- 2026-10-29: disclosed
- 2026-10-27: patched

## References

- [https://github.com/digitalbazaar/forge/commit/696db92348623e88cc63c35f0a89ede481d55ad0](https://github.com/digitalbazaar/forge/commit/696db92348623e88cc63c35f0a89ede481d55ad0)
- [https://github.com/digitalbazaar/forge/releases/tag/v1.4.1](https://github.com/digitalbazaar/forge/releases/tag/v1.4.1)

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