openssl_encrypt before 1.4.8 Hardware Pepper Information Disclosure

published 2026-08-17 2 mo ago modified 2026-10-01 39 d ago also GHSA-p9g8-wvh4-2jmx , PYSEC-2026-3956 , EUVD-2026-60089

cvss: 3.3; version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev: Not listed; not in CISA's catalog
epss: 0.3%; EPSS 0.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 17%
public exploits: 0; none known

openssl_encrypt (pip) versions <= 1.4.7 contain an information exposure vulnerability where the 'hsm fido2-test' and 'hsm onlykey-test' diagnostic commands unconditionally print the full derived hardware pepper as hex to stdout/stderr (crypt_cli.py, handle_hsm_command). The printed value can persist in terminal scrollback, session recordings, or CI logs. Impact is limited because the pepper is derived from a random per-invocation test salt and is salt-bound, so the leaked value cannot be used to decrypt real files. A related plugin issue logged raw prf_data outside the secret-redaction path. Fixed in 1.4.8 (and 1.5.0) by removing the hex dumps and routing plugin debug output through the redaction layer.

Patch / fix

fixed in 2

pypi openssl-encrypt 1.4.7
jahlives openssl_encrypt 1.4.8

CISA SSVC

Exploitation: none
Automatable: no
Technical impact: partial
Assessed: 2 mo ago (2026-08-17)

Exploit prediction

0.26% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 17% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

CVSS scores

assigned by	version	score	vector
CNA	4.0	8.7	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
CNA	3.1	3.3	CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
CNA	4.0	8.7	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

Affected packages

ecosystem	package	affected	fixed in
pypi	openssl-encrypt	<1.4.7	1.4.7

Affected products

jahlives openssl_encrypt

Classification

Weakness

CWE-532 Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File

References

github.com /jahlives/openssl_encrypt/security/advisories/GHSA-p9g8-wvh4-2jmx
vendor-advisory, advisory
vulncheck.com /advisories/openssl-encrypt-before-hardware-pepper-information-disclosure
third-party-advisory, advisory

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.

Summary