{"id":"PYSEC-2026-3796","details":"openssl-encrypt (pip package) before 1.4.9 contains a symlink-following flaw in its verify-usb v2 added-file allowlist scan. The scan enumerated the drive with rglob(), which in CPython does not descend into symlinked directories and treats the symlink as an ordinary directory, while O_NOFOLLOW on the hash side binds only the final path component. An evil-maid attacker with physical access to the removable drive could replace a tool-tree directory with a symlink to a copy containing byte-identical files plus a planted __pycache__/*.pyc file (which CPython loads in preference to recompiling the clean .py). The planted file is never enumerated, added_files stays 0, and verify-usb reports PASSED, resulting in code execution when the victim runs the portable install. Fixed in 1.4.9 (affects both 1.4.x and 1.5.x lines).","aliases":["CVE-2026-81690","GHSA-hw7h-wqf5-6crx"],"modified":"2026-09-03T11:00:03.943936665Z","published":"2026-08-27T17:20:58.843Z","references":[{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://github.com/jahlives/openssl_encrypt/security/advisories/GHSA-hw7h-wqf5-6crx"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/verify-usb-before-1.4.9-symlink-directory-traversal-code-execution"}],"affected":[{"package":{"name":"openssl-encrypt","ecosystem":"PyPI","purl":"pkg:pypi/openssl-encrypt"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"1.4.9"}]}],"versions":["0.2.2","0.2.3","0.2.4","0.2.5","0.2.6","0.3.0","0.3.1","0.3.2","0.3.3","0.4.0","0.4.1","0.4.2","0.4.3","0.4.4","0.5.0","0.5.1","0.5.3","0.6.0rc1","0.7.0rc2","0.7.1","0.7.2","0.8.0","0.8.1","0.8.2","0.9.2","1.0.0","1.0.1","1.0.2","1.0.3","1.1.0","1.2.0","1.2.1","1.3.0","1.3.1","1.3.2","1.3.3","1.3.4","1.3.5","1.4.0","1.4.0b3","1.4.0b4","1.4.0b5","1.4.0b6","1.4.0b7","1.4.0b8","1.4.1","1.4.1rc2","1.4.2","1.4.4","1.4.5","1.4.6","1.4.7","1.4.8"],"ecosystem_specific":{},"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/blob/main/vulns/openssl-encrypt/PYSEC-2026-3796.yaml"}}],"schema_version":"1.9.0","severity":[{"type":"CVSS_V4","score":"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/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X"}]}