---
id: CVE-2026-81697
title: >-
  openssl_encrypt (pip package openssl-encrypt) versions <= 1.4.8 contain a
  CWD-relative configuration file resolution flaw in crypt_settings.py, where
  CONFIG_FILE (originally the absolute per-user path ~/.crypt_settings.json) is
  reassigne…
summary: >-
  openssl_encrypt (pip package openssl-encrypt) versions <= 1.4.8 contain a
  CWD-relative configuration file resolution flaw in crypt_settings.py, where
  CONFIG_FILE (originally the absolute per-user path ~/.crypt_settings.json) is
  reassigne…
severity: medium
cvss: 5.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N'
cwe:
  - CWE-426
published: '2026-08-27'
updated: '2026-09-23'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-23T17:17:42.700'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-81697'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/jahlives/openssl_encrypt/security/advisories/GHSA-7j2v-g84w-m75v
    label: disclosure@vulncheck.com
  - url: >-
      https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openssl-encrypt-before-1.4.9-kdf-downgrade-via-cwd-relative-configuration
    label: disclosure@vulncheck.com
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.00206
epssPercentile: 0.09351
ingestedAt: '2026-09-23T17:28:14.809Z'
---

## Overview

openssl_encrypt (pip package openssl-encrypt) versions <= 1.4.8 contain a CWD-relative configuration file resolution flaw in crypt_settings.py, where CONFIG_FILE (originally the absolute per-user path ~/.crypt_settings.json) is reassigned at line 84 to the bare relative name 'crypt_settings.json'. As a result, the legacy Tk GUI's SettingsTab reads and writes KDF settings from crypt_settings.json in the process launch (current working) directory instead of the user's home directory. An attacker who plants a malicious crypt_settings.json (e.g. sha256:1 with all memory-hard KDFs disabled) can silently downgrade encryption performed in that GUI session to roughly one hash round, bypassing the weak-KDF preflight and enabling offline brute-force attacks against the resulting ciphertext. Fixed in 1.4.9.

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.