CVE-2026-81696 — Vulnerability in openssl-encrypt — CVE Details
CRITICAL
Published August 27, 2026Updated September 2, 2026Source: osv
Summary
openssl_encrypt versions before 1.4.9 fail to sanitize terminal control characters in file metadata printed by the info command. Attackers can craft malicious files containing escape sequences to repaint terminal output and forge verification information displayed to users.
Advisory Timeline
- First published August 27, 2026 (46 days ago).
- Last revised September 2, 2026 — 6 days after initial publication.
Remediation
Upgrade to the fixed version using your package manager.
pip
Update openssl-encrypt to 1.4.9 or laterpip install "openssl-encrypt>=1.4.9"
After upgrading, run your dependency scanner again to confirm the vulnerability is resolved.
Affected Packages (1)
Affects 1 ecosystem: pypi (1).
| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed In |
|---|---|---|---|
| openssl-encrypt | pypi | 0.2.2, 0.2.3, 0.2.4, 0.2.5 (+49 more) | 1.4.9 |
CVSS Score Breakdown
What the CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) 9.8 score means for each attack dimension.
Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
X
Confidentiality
—
Integrity
—
Availability
—
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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
References
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-81696?
- This vulnerability has been assigned a severity rating of CRITICAL (CVSS score: 9.8/10).
- How do I check if my project is affected by CVE-2026-81696?
- CVE-2026-81696 affects openssl-encrypt. Use GeekWala's free vulnerability scanner to check your dependencies against CVE-2026-81696 and 200,000+ other known vulnerabilities.
Severity & Exploitability
CVSS Score
9.8
Exploitation is straightforward and causes maximum impact. Patch immediately.
Also Known As
PYSEC-2026-3775
GHSA-539p-fxf4-7fv8
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