Vulnerability in openssl_encrypt (CVE-2026-74878)
Summary
Vulnerability in openssl_encrypt (CVE-2026-74878). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
Severity: HIGH
Summary
The TOTP brute-force rate limiter in openssl_encrypt_server/modules/pepper/totp.py at lines 47-98 uses an in-memory defaultdict(list) as a class variable.
Affected Code
class TOTPRateLimiter:
def __init__(self, ...):
self.attempts: Dict[str, List[datetime]] = defaultdict(list)
self.lockouts: Dict[str, datetime] = {}
class TOTPService:
_rate_limiter = TOTPRateLimiter() # Class variable, in-memory only
Impact
- Rate limit state is not shared across multiple server instances/workers — an attacker can distribute attempts
- All rate limit state is lost on server restart — allows immediate retry
- In multi-worker deployments, each worker has independent rate limit state
Recommended Fix
- Use Redis or the database for rate limit state storage
- Or use a shared-memory approach for multi-worker deployments
- At minimum, persist lockout state to survive restarts
Fix
Fixed in commit 2749bc0 on branch releases/1.4.x — added abstract RateLimitBackend with InMemoryBackend and DatabaseBackend implementations; defaults to DatabaseBackend when DB available.
Source: GitHub Security Advisories (Global) NVD GitHub Advisory
Auto-generated summary
Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.
A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-74878 has been found in openssl_encrypt.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. CVSS score: 9.8/10.
What to do: apply the vendor's official patched release.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "openssl_encrypt CVE-2026-74878" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2026-74878 (openssl_encrypt) — CWE-770 / CVSS v3 9.8
Attack vector: remote (network-reachable) / unauthenticated / no user interaction
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
A vulnerability (CWE-770) exists in openssl_encrypt.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of openssl_encrypt.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.8/10). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Update to the patched release per vendor advisory.
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Run grep -r 'openssl_encrypt' . against your dependency files (package-lock.json, requirements.txt, go.sum) to find affected services.
Response actions
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
grep -r 'openssl_encrypt' . | grep -v node_modulesリポジトリと本番環境の依存ファイル (package-lock.json / requirements.txt / go.sum / Gemfile.lock 等) で
openssl_encryptを grep し、稼働しているサービス・バージョンを把握する。 -
2Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。
Affected packages
References
- advisory vulncheck.com
- package github.com
- web github.com
- web nvd.nist.gov
- web github.com
- web github.com