{"dataType": "CVE_RECORD", "dataVersion": "5.2", "cveMetadata": {"cveId": "CVE-2026-81697", "assignerOrgId": "83251b91-4cc7-4094-a5c7-464a1b83ea10", "state": "PUBLISHED", "assignerShortName": "VulnCheck", "dateReserved": "2026-08-27T11:12:00.890Z", "datePublished": "2026-08-27T14:51:00.542Z", "dateUpdated": "2026-08-27T14:51:00.542Z"}, "containers": {"cna": {"providerMetadata": {"orgId": "83251b91-4cc7-4094-a5c7-464a1b83ea10", "shortName": "VulnCheck", "dateUpdated": "2026-08-27T14:51:00.542Z"}, "datePublic": "2026-08-12T00:00:00.000Z", "title": "openssl_encrypt before 1.4.9 KDF Downgrade via CWD-relative Configuration", "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "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."}], "problemTypes": [{"descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "description": "Untrusted Search Path", "cweId": "CWE-426", "type": "CWE"}]}], "affected": [{"vendor": "jahlives", "product": "openssl_encrypt", "defaultStatus": "unaffected", "packageURL": "pkg:pypi/openssl-encrypt", "versions": [{"version": "0", "status": "affected", "versionType": "semver", "lessThan": "1.4.9"}, {"version": "1.4.9", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver"}]}], "metrics": [{"cvssV4_0": {"Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED", "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED", "Safety": "NOT_DEFINED", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackRequirements": "NONE", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "baseScore": 8.7, "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED", "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "userInteraction": "NONE", "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED", "vectorString": "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", "version": "4.0", "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "vulnIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED"}, "format": "CVSS"}, {"cvssV3_1": {"attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "availabilityImpact": "NONE", "baseScore": 5.5, "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "confidentialityImpact": "NONE", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "userInteraction": "REQUIRED", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N", "version": "3.1"}, "format": "CVSS"}], "references": [{"url": "https://github.com/jahlives/openssl_encrypt/security/advisories/GHSA-7j2v-g84w-m75v", "tags": ["vendor-advisory"], "name": "GitHub Security Advisory (GHSA-7j2v-g84w-m75v)"}, {"name": "VulnCheck Advisory: openssl_encrypt before 1.4.9 KDF Downgrade via CWD-relative Configuration", "tags": ["third-party-advisory"], "url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openssl-encrypt-before-1.4.9-kdf-downgrade-via-cwd-relative-configuration"}], "x_generator": {"engine": "vulncheck-endgame"}}}}

{}

{"affected": [{"affectedData": [{"defaultStatus": "unaffected", "packageURL": "pkg:pypi/openssl-encrypt", "product": "openssl_encrypt", "vendor": "jahlives", "versions": [{"lessThan": "1.4.9", "status": "affected", "version": "0", "versionType": "semver"}, {"status": "unaffected", "version": "1.4.9", "versionType": "semver"}]}], "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}], "cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "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."}], "id": "CVE-2026-81697", "lastModified": "2026-08-27T17:20:59.893", "metrics": {"cvssMetricV31": [{"cvssData": {"attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "availabilityImpact": "NONE", "baseScore": 5.5, "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "confidentialityImpact": "NONE", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "userInteraction": "REQUIRED", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N", "version": "3.1"}, "exploitabilityScore": 1.8, "impactScore": 3.6, "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "type": "Primary"}], "cvssMetricV40": [{"cvssData": {"Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED", "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED", "Safety": "NOT_DEFINED", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackRequirements": "NONE", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "availabilityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "baseScore": 8.7, "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "confidentialityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED", "integrityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackComplexity": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackRequirements": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackVector": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedPrivilegesRequired": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedUserInteraction": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED", "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "userInteraction": "NONE", "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED", "vectorString": "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", "version": "4.0", "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "vulnIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED"}, "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "type": "Secondary"}]}, "published": "2026-08-27T17:20:59.893", "references": [{"source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "url": "https://github.com/jahlives/openssl_encrypt/security/advisories/GHSA-7j2v-g84w-m75v"}, {"source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openssl-encrypt-before-1.4.9-kdf-downgrade-via-cwd-relative-configuration"}], "sourceIdentifier": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "vulnStatus": "Received", "weaknesses": [{"description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-426"}], "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "type": "Primary"}]}

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{}