{"id":"CVE-2026-74873","aliases":["GHSA-h3m5-p59h-x88p"],"title":"openssl-encrypt has visible password in process list via --password CLI argument","summary":"openssl-encrypt has visible password in process list via --password CLI argument","severity":"medium","vendor":"openssl-encrypt","product":"openssl-encrypt","ecosystem":"pip","affected":["openssl-encrypt < 1.4.0"],"patched":["openssl-encrypt 1.4.0"],"published":"2026-03-31","updated":"2026-08-18","source":"OSV","sourceUrl":"https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-h3m5-p59h-x88p","references":[{"url":"https://github.com/jahlives/openssl_encrypt/security/advisories/GHSA-h3m5-p59h-x88p"},{"url":"https://github.com/jahlives/openssl_encrypt/commit/e78a3666e4592f3538adaaa6be8f5f04356174db"},{"url":"https://github.com/jahlives/openssl_encrypt"}],"tags":["osv","pip"],"ingestedAt":"2026-08-18T12:28:08.722Z","epss":0.00227,"epssPercentile":0.13684,"slug":"CVE-2026-74873","body":"## Overview\n\n### Summary\n\nPasswords passed via the `--password` / `-p` CLI argument in `openssl_encrypt/modules/crypt_cli_subparser.py` at **lines 150-154** are visible to any user on the system via `ps aux` or `/proc/[pid]/cmdline`.\n\n### Affected Code\n\n```python\nsubparser.add_argument(\n    \"--password\", \"-p\",\n    help=\"Password (will prompt if not provided, or use CRYPT_PASSWORD environment variable)\",\n)\n```\n\nSimilarly, `--keystore-password` exposes the keystore password.\n\n### Impact\n\nOn multi-user systems, any user can observe the encryption password by listing processes. The `CRYPT_PASSWORD` environment variable alternative is also visible via `/proc/[pid]/environ` (though with slightly restricted access).\n\n### Recommended Fix\n\n- Document the security implications prominently\n- Recommend interactive prompting (already supported) as the secure default\n- Consider supporting password file descriptors (`--password-fd`) or reading from stdin\n- Consider marking the argument as deprecated in favor of interactive prompting\n\n### Fix\n\nFixed in commit `e78a366` on branch `releases/1.4.x` — added --password-file and --password-fd arguments; added OPENSSL_ENCRYPT_PASSWORD env var support; --password now emits deprecation warning.\n\n## Affected packages\n\n- `openssl-encrypt < 1.4.0`\n\n## Remediation\n\nUpgrade to a patched release:\n\n- `openssl-encrypt 1.4.0`","depth":"sunlit","depthScore":28,"depthScoreParts":{"impact":27.5,"likelihood":0,"exploitation":0,"ransomware":0},"changes":[]}