EUVD-2026-67053
GHSA-7wp9-wpj9-m7pm
Severity by source
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/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
Attacker must write a file to the local filesystem CWD (AV:L) and victim must launch the GUI from that directory (UI:R), yielding ciphertext fully vulnerable to offline attack (C:H) and silent KDF config manipulation (I:L).
Primary rating from Vendor (VulnCheck).
CVSS VectorVendor: VulnCheck
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/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
Lifecycle Timeline
3DescriptionCVE.org
openssl_encrypt (pip package openssl-encrypt) versions <= 1.4.8 contain a CWD-relative configuration file resolution flaw in crypt_settings.py, where CONFIG_FILE (originally the absolute per-user path ~/.crypt_settings.json) is reassigned at line 84 to the bare relative name 'crypt_settings.json'. As a result, the legacy Tk GUI's SettingsTab reads and writes KDF settings from crypt_settings.json in the process launch (current working) directory instead of the user's home directory. An attacker who plants a malicious crypt_settings.json (e.g. sha256:1 with all memory-hard KDFs disabled) can silently downgrade encryption performed in that GUI session to roughly one hash round, bypassing the weak-KDF preflight and enabling offline brute-force attacks against the resulting ciphertext. Fixed in 1.4.9.
Articles & Coverage 1
AnalysisAI
Key derivation function downgrade in openssl-encrypt pip package (versions ≤ 1.4.8) allows an attacker who pre-positions a crafted crypt_settings.json in the victim's process launch directory to silently collapse encryption to a single SHA-256 round, rendering resulting ciphertext trivially brute-forceable offline. A regression at line 84 of crypt_settings.py reassigns CONFIG_FILE from the intended absolute home-directory path to a bare relative filename, causing the legacy Tk GUI's SettingsTab to consume attacker-controlled KDF parameters instead of the user's legitimate settings. …
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Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata
Vulnerability AssessmentAI
| Exploitation | Exploitation requires two simultaneous conditions: (1) the victim must use the legacy Tk GUI interface - specifically the SettingsTab, which invokes the vulnerable CONFIG_FILE resolution in crypt_settings.py at line 84 - rather than the CLI or programmatic API; and (2) the attacker must have pre-positioned a malicious crypt_settings.json in the specific directory from which the victim launches the application (the process CWD at launch time). … Additional conditions and limiting factors are described in the full assessment. |
| Risk Assessment | The supplied CVSS 4.0 vector (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N, score 8.7) is materially inconsistent with the described attack mechanism, which requires the attacker to pre-position a file on the local filesystem in the victim's CWD - an operation that is local, not network-reachable. … Full risk analysis with EPSS, KEV, and SSVC signal comparison available after sign-in. |
| Exploit Scenario | An attacker with write access to a directory the victim commonly uses as CWD - such as a shared Downloads folder or a directory created by extracting an archive - plants a crypt_settings.json specifying sha256:1 with memory-hard KDFs disabled. When the victim launches the Tk GUI from that directory, the application silently loads attacker-controlled KDF settings, bypasses the weak-KDF preflight, and produces ciphertext derived from a single SHA-256 round. … |
| Remediation | Upgrade openssl-encrypt to version 1.4.9, which corrects the CONFIG_FILE reassignment in crypt_settings.py to restore absolute home-directory path resolution, per the vendor advisory at https://github.com/jahlives/openssl_encrypt/security/advisories/GHSA-7j2v-g84w-m75v and the VulnCheck advisory at https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openssl-encrypt-before-1.4.9-kdf-downgrade-via-cwd-relative-configuration. … Detailed patch versions, workarounds, and compensating controls in full report. |
Recommended ActionAI
Within 24 hours, audit your codebase and package manifests for all dependencies on openssl-encrypt and determine which systems are running versions ≤1.4.8. …
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External POC / Exploit Code
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