CVE-2026-81684
MEDIUMDescription
In openssl_encrypt (pip package openssl-encrypt) versions <= 1.4.8, the desktop GUI passes the steganography password to the CLI child process on the command line via the --stego-password argument (on both encrypt and decrypt paths) instead of via an environment variable as done for the main password. Any local user can read the steganography password from /proc/<pid>/cmdline for the lifetime of the subprocess. Fixed in 1.4.9.
How to fix
TridentStack Control can deploy fixes like this automatically across your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet. See how it works
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Exploit Intelligence
Low risk: more likely to be exploited than 2% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-214 vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2021-3859 | High | 7.5 | 1.6% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2019-3869 | High | 7.2 | 1.3% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2020-5422 | Medium | 6.5 | 0.9% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2020-1753 | Medium | 5.0 | 0.5% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2020-36771 | High | 7.8 | 0.5% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2024-4254 | High | 7.1 | 0.5% | - | - |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2026-81684?
Upgrade openssl encrypt to 1.4.9 or later.
Is CVE-2026-81684 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2026-81684 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 0.12% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 2% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2026-81684?
CVE-2026-81684 has a CVSS v3 base score of 6.2, rated medium. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2026-81684 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for openssl encrypt (NVD). Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
Embed a live status badge for CVE-2026-81684
Markdown
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-09-03.