CVE-2026-81715: openssl_encrypt before 1.4.9 Credential Exposure via Debug Output

Published Aug 27, 2026
·
Updated

opensslencrypt (pip package openssl-encrypt) versions <= 1.4.8 do not redact the keyserver bearer token passed as the positional argument to 'keyserver set-token' in the --debug argv dump, because sanitizeargvfordebug fails to sanitize it. As a result the token is printed in cleartext to stderr under --debug (even without --unsafe-show-secrets), persisting the credential in logs and terminal history. Fixed in 1.4.9.

Affected Software

1 affected component
pypi/openssl-encrypt<1.4.9

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade openssl_encrypt (pip package openssl-encrypt) to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.4.9
  2. Operational

    If the application was run with --debug on openssl_encrypt (openssl-encrypt) versions <= 1.4.8, review and remove the exposed keyserver bearer token from logs and terminal history entries created during the debug session.

Event History

Aug 27, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·02:51 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·02:51 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·05:21 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness

Frequently Asked Questions

1

Who is exposed to this issue?

Users of the PyPI openssl-encrypt package version 1.4.8 or earlier are exposed when they run the keyserver set-token command with --debug enabled. The bearer token can then be written in cleartext to stderr.

2

Does exploitation require --unsafe-show-secrets?

No. The token is exposed in the debug argv dump even when --unsafe-show-secrets is not used.

3

What should be reviewed if an affected version was used?

Review stderr output, logs, and terminal history from --debug executions of keyserver set-token for exposed bearer tokens. Any token found in those locations should be treated as disclosed.

4

What is the available fix?

Upgrade openssl-encrypt to version 1.4.9, which fixes the missing redaction of the positional keyserver bearer token.

Contact

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