openssl_encrypt versions before 1.4.9 derive the remote-pepper wrap key using unsalted HKDF-SHA256 or bare SHA-256 of the password, allowing identical keys across all users and files. Attackers with access to wrapped pepper blobs can precompute a single dictionary table and perform fleet-wide offline password guessing at hardware speed to recover user passwords.
History

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 17:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Thu, 27 Aug 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Jahlives
Jahlives openssl Encrypt
Vendors & Products Jahlives
Jahlives openssl Encrypt

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 16:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description openssl_encrypt versions before 1.4.9 derive the remote-pepper wrap key using unsalted HKDF-SHA256 or bare SHA-256 of the password, allowing identical keys across all users and files. Attackers with access to wrapped pepper blobs can precompute a single dictionary table and perform fleet-wide offline password guessing at hardware speed to recover user passwords.
Title openssl_encrypt before 1.4.9 Weak Pepper Key Derivation
Weaknesses CWE-916
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 8.7, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}


cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: VulnCheck

Published: 2026-08-27T14:50:54.590Z

Updated: 2026-08-28T15:59:26.341Z

Reserved: 2026-08-27T11:12:00.889Z

Link: CVE-2026-81689

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-08-27T18:38:51.432Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2026-08-27T17:20:58.697

Modified: 2026-08-31T20:49:08.970

Link: CVE-2026-81689

cve-icon Redhat

No data.