CVE-2026-81681 (GCVE-0-2026-81681)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-08-27 14:50 – Updated: 2026-10-01 15:21
VLAI
Title
openssl_encrypt before 1.4.9 False Encryption via Cleartext Storage
Summary
openssl_encrypt (pip package openssl-encrypt) versions <= 1.4.8 advertise a portable USB workspace as an 'Encrypted USB Workspace' with AES-256-GCM encryption and write a marker declaring the workspace encrypted, but the workspace directory is actually stored in cleartext and the derived encryption key is never applied to it. A user who trusts the branding and places files in the workspace leaves them unencrypted on the removable media, so an attacker with physical access to the media can read the sensitive files. Fixed in 1.4.9, which seals the workspace into an authenticated AES-256-GCM vault.
Severity
9.3 (Critical)
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
4.6 (Medium)
CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
SSVC
Exploitation: none Automatable: no Technical Impact: partial
CISA Coordinator · CISA-ADP (v2.0.3)
Decision recorded 2026-08-27 17:50 UTC
CWE
  • CWE-311 - Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data
Assigner
VulnCheck CNA under the mitre root
CNA scorecard B 84/100 over 6373 records in the last 180 days details
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
jahlives openssl_encrypt Affected: 0 , < 1.4.9 (semver)
Unaffected: 1.4.9 (semver)
    cpe:2.3:a:jahlives:openssl_encrypt:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Create a notification for this product.
Date Public
2026-08-12 00:00
Show details on NVD website
To clipboard 

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