openssl-encrypt: Dynamic .so loading for Whirlpool uses broad glob pattern without integrity verification
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Fixed
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from GitHub. Impact type from CWE-427.
Summary
## Severity: HIGH ### Summary The Whirlpool hash implementation in `openssl_encrypt/modules/registry/hash_registry.py` at **lines 570-589** uses glob patterns to find `.so` modules in site-packages and loads the first match via `importlib` without verifying module integrity. ### Affected Code ```python for site_pkg in site.getsitepackages(): pattern = os.path.join(site_pkg, "whirlpool*py313*.so") py313_modules = glob.glob(pattern) if py313_modules: module_path = py313_modules[0] # Takes first match loader = ExtensionFileLoader("whirlpool", module_path) spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location("whirlpool", module_path, loader=loader) whirlpool_module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec) spec.loader.exec_module(whirlpool_module) ``` ### Impact The glob pattern `"whirlpool*py313*.so"` is broad and takes the first match without verifying: - File hash/signature - File ownership/permissions - Whether it's a legitimate module If an attacker can place a malicious `.so` file matching this pattern in any site-packages directory, it will be loaded and native code executed. ### Recommended Fix - Verify the module's integrity (hash or signature) before loading - Use a specific filename rather than a glob pattern - Check file permissions and ownership ### Fix Fixed in commit `963d0d1` on branch `releases/1.4.x` — added os.path.realpath() to resolve symlinks and validation that found .so files are within known site-packages directories before loading.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | openssl-encrypt (PyPI) | before 1.4.0 | 1.4.0 | Patch available | GHSA-j48q-4c78-rhf9 |
- openssl-encrypt (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 1.4.0 Fixed in 1.4.0 Patch available GHSA-j48q-4c78-rhf9
Remediation
- Fix · GHSA-j48q-4c78-rhf9 openssl-encrypt (PyPI) Fixed in 1.4.0 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-03 Threatist record created from GHSA-j48q-4c78-rhf9
References
Sources
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