CVE-2026-81705: openssl encrypt — Fix

Description

openssl-encrypt before 1.4.9 fails to redact the file password in its --debug argv dump when the password is supplied via bundled short-option spellings (e.g. -apHunter2) or abbreviated long-option spellings (e.g. --passw). The sanitizer only recognized exact option names, --option=value forms, and tokens starting with -p, so these spellings bypass the redaction chokepoint and the cleartext password is written to stderr. Anyone with access to that output (terminal scrollback, merged 2>&1 output, CI job logs, or the GUI's persistent debug log) can recover the password.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.5

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0032

Probability of exploitation

0.25%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-532 CWE-532

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
jahlives	openssl_encrypt	< 1.4.9

References

Advisories & Patches

https://github.com/jahlives/openssl_encrypt/security/advisories/GHSA-jgvm-7jxv-cgcc

Other References

https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openssl-encrypt-before-1.4.9-password-cleartext-leak-via-debug

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-81705? +

openssl-encrypt before 1.4.9 fails to redact the file password in its --debug argv dump when the password is supplied via bundled short-option spellings (e.g. -apHunter2) or abbreviated long-option spellings (e.g. --passw). The sanitizer only recognized exact option names, --option=value forms, and tokens starting with -p, so these spellings bypass the redaction chokepoint and the cleartext password is written to stderr. Anyone with access to that output (terminal scrollback, merged 2>&1 output, CI job logs, or the GUI's persistent debug log) can recover the password. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2026-81705? +

CVE-2026-81705 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.5 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching. The EPSS score is 0.0032, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-81705? +

CVE-2026-81705 affects products from jahlives, specifically: openssl_encrypt. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-81705? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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