CVE-2026-81698
openssl_encrypt versions before 1.4.9 contain a shell injection vulnerability in the info command's reconstructed CLI block that interpolates untrusted metadata fields without quoting.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (0.43%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
openssl_encrypt versions before 1.4.9 contain a shell injection vulnerability in the info command's reconstructed CLI block that interpolates untrusted metadata fields without quoting. Attackers can craft metadata values like pepper_name containing shell commands that execute when users copy the printed CLI block into a shell.
- CVSS 4.0
- 9.3 CRITICALCVSS: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/M
- EPSS
- 0.43% probability · 37th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-78
- Affected
- jahlives/openssl encrypt
- Source
- disclosure@vulncheck.com
EPSS 0.4% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.