Key Substitution Vulnerability in OpenSSL Encrypt by OpenSSL
CVE-2026-81702

9.3CRITICAL

Key Information:

Vendor

Jahlives

Status
OpenSSL Encrypt
Vendor
CVE Published:
27 August 2026

What is CVE-2026-81702?

The OpenSSL Encrypt functionality in versions prior to 1.4.9 has a vulnerability that permits attackers to replace legitimate public keys with their own without proper validation. This occurs during the loading of identities from identity.json, where failing to re-derive and validate fingerprints allows attackers to engage in silent key substitutions. As a result, encryption may utilize compromised keys while maintaining the appearance of validity in signature verification, posing significant risks to data integrity and confidentiality.

Affected Version(s)

openssl_encrypt 0 < 1.4.9

openssl_encrypt 1.4.9

References

https://github.com/jahlives/openssl_encrypt/security/advi...
vendor-advisory
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openssl-encrypt-befo...
third-party-advisory

CVSS V4

Score:
9.3
Severity:
CRITICAL
Confidentiality:
High
Integrity:
High
Availability:
High
Attack Vector:
Network
Attack Complexity:
Low
Attack Required:
None
Privileges Required:
Undefined
User Interaction:
None

Timeline

  • Vulnerability published

  • Vulnerability Reserved

.