CVE-2026-81684 json
openssl_encrypt before 1.4.9 Information Disclosure via Command Line
published 2mo ago modified last mo. also EUVD-2026-67040 , GHSA-rx2c-m92f-qv6p , PYSEC-2026-3958
- cvss
- 6.2
- version 3.1, CNA
- cisa kev
- Not listed
- not in CISA's catalog
- epss
- 0.2%
- EPSS 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 5%
- public exploits
- 0
- none known
Summary
In openssl_encrypt (pip package openssl-encrypt) versions <= 1.4.8, the desktop GUI passes the steganography password to the CLI child process on the command line via the --stego-password argument (on both encrypt and decrypt paths) instead of via an environment variable as done for the main password. Any local user can read the steganography password from /proc/<pid>/cmdline for the lifetime of the subprocess. Fixed in 1.4.9.
Patch / fix
- pypi openssl-encrypt 1.4.9
- jahlives openssl_encrypt 1.4.9
Is CVE-2026-81684 in your dependencies? Fencer shows which of your repositories are affected as soon as an advisory lands, and opens the fix as a pull request.
Check with FencerCISA SSVC
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
- Assessed
- 2mo ago
Exploit prediction
0.17% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 5% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-11).
CVSS scores
| assigned by | version | score | vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | 4.0 | 6.9 | CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N |
| CNA | 3.1 | 6.2 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N |
| CNA | 4.0 | 6.9 | CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X |
Affected packages
| ecosystem | package | affected | fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| pypi | openssl-encrypt | <1.4.9 |
1.4.9 |
Affected products
- jahlives openssl_encrypt
Classification
- Weakness
-
- CWE-214 Invocation of Process Using Visible Sensitive Information
References
-
github.com
/jahlives/openssl_encrypt/security/advisories/GHSA-rx2c-m92f-qv6p
vendor-advisory, advisory
-
vulncheck.com
/advisories/openssl-encrypt-before-1.4.9-information-disclosure-via-command-line
third-party-advisory, advisory
Sources
- CVE List CVE-2026-81684
- NVD CVE-2026-81684
- OSV PYSEC-2026-3958
- Maintainer advisory GHSA-rx2c-m92f-qv6p
Fencer Intel keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.
The maintainers of jahlives/openssl_encrypt published their own advisory on GitHub. Reviewed sources take precedence over it.