Vulnerability · Published Aug 17, 2026 · Assigned by VulnCheck
CVE-2026-74873openssl_encrypt before 1.4.0 Password Exposure via CLI Argument
Medium 5.5
In plain English
A medium-severity security flaw in openssl_encrypt from jahlives. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.3% (higher than 25% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.
Severity (CVSS 3.1)5.5Medium
Exploit odds (30 days)0.3%top 75.4% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsCISA SSVC: none
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known
Official description
openssl_encrypt versions before 1.4.0 expose passwords passed via the --password CLI argument in process listings accessible to all system users. Attackers can read process arguments through ps aux or /proc/[pid]/cmdline to retrieve plaintext passwords and keystore passwords.
Affected packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| PyPI | openssl-encrypt | 1.4.0 | GHSA-h3m5-p59h-x88p |
| PyPI | openssl-encrypt | 1.4.0 | PYSEC-2026-3753 |
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| jahlives | openssl_encrypt | 0 – before 1.4.0 |
Weakness: CWE-214 · Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
References
- GitHub Security Advisory (GHSA-h3m5-p59h-x88p) vendor-advisory
- VulnCheck Advisory: openssl_encrypt before 1.4.0 Password Exposure via CLI Argument third-party-advisory