openssl-encrypt: Dynamic .so loading for Whirlpool uses broad glob pattern without integrity verification

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS 4.0

6.6 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U · score source

EPSS

• CVE-2026-74872: 0.68% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 52.39 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Severity: HIGH Summary The Whirlpool hash implementation in opensslencrypt/modules/registry/hashregistry.py at lines 570-589 uses glob patterns to find .so modules in site-packages and loads the first match via importlib without verifying module integrity. Affected Code Impact The glob pattern "whirlpoolpy313.so" is broad and takes the first match without verifying: - File hash/signature - File ownership/permissions - Whether it's a legitimate module If an attacker can place a malicious .so file matching this pattern in any site-packages directory, it will be loaded and native code executed. Recommended Fix - Verify the module's integrity (hash or signature) before loading - Use a specific filename rather than a glob pattern - Check file permissions and ownership Fix Fixed in commit 963d0d1 on branch releases/1.4.x — added os.path.realpath() to resolve symlinks and validation that found .so files are within known site-packages directories before loading.

Published by the source

31 Mar 2026, 23:31 UTC

Last modified by the source

1 Sep 2026, 09:25 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 13:40 UTC

1. Revision 3 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-j48q-4c78-rhf9

2. Revision 2 · amended · 25 Oct 2026

   Reviewed OSV alias/range/CVSS4 correction; package source scopes and original publication preserved. No customer finding resolved.

3. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-j48q-4c78-rhf9

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-74872

Advisory: openssl-encrypt: Dynamic .so loading for Whirlpool uses broad glob pattern without integrity verification
IDs: CVE-2026-74872, GHSA-j48q-4c78-rhf9
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-74872 (revision 3, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 13:40 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 6.6)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: openssl-encrypt 1.4.0. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- PyPI openssl-encrypt: affected < 1.4.0; fixed in 1.4.0

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `python -m pip show openssl-encrypt`: prints the installed version. Run with the environment that serves production active.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on openssl-encrypt.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-j48q-4c78-rhf9 (OSV record GHSA-j48q-4c78-rhf9 lists affected ranges: PyPI openssl-encrypt >=0 <1.4.0 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-j48q-4c78-rhf9 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-j48q-4c78-rhf9 lists affected ranges: PyPI openssl-encrypt >=0 <1.4.0)

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