Vulnerability in openssl-encrypt (CVE-2026-81690)
Summary
Vulnerability in openssl-encrypt (CVE-2026-81690). Data can be tampered with by attackers. Mitigation: upgrade to 1.4.9 or later.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
openssl-encrypt (pip package) before 1.4.9 contains a symlink-following flaw in its verify-usb v2 added-file allowlist scan. The scan enumerated the drive with rglob(), which in CPython does not descend into symlinked directories and treats the symlink as an ordinary directory, while O_NOFOLLOW on the hash side binds only the final path component. An evil-maid attacker with physical access to the removable drive could replace a tool-tree directory with a symlink to a copy containing byte-identical files plus a planted pycache/*.pyc file (which CPython loads in preference to recompiling the clean .py). The planted file is never enumerated, added_files stays 0, and verify-usb reports PASSED, resulting in code execution when the victim runs the portable install. Fixed in 1.4.9 (affects both 1.4.x and 1.5.x lines).
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database 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-2026-81690 has been found in openssl-encrypt.
Data can be tampered with by attackers. CVSS score: 7.3/10.
What to do: upgrade openssl-encrypt to 1.4.9 or later.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "openssl-encrypt CVE-2026-81690" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2026-81690 (openssl-encrypt) — CWE-59 / CVSS v3 7.3
Attack vector: physical / unauthenticated / no user interaction
Patched: 1.4.9 — apply immediately
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-59) exists in openssl-encrypt.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of openssl-encrypt.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.3/10). Data can be tampered with by attackers.
Update to 1.4.9.
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
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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。 -
2Apply patch patch
Upgrade openssl-encrypt to 1.4.9ステージング環境で 1.4.9 に上げて回帰テスト → 本番反映。回帰テストはアプリの主要ハッピーパスを含めること。
-
3Post-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 github.com
- advisory vulncheck.com
- web nvd.nist.gov
- web github.com