CVE-2026-74873
Local disclosure: --password args in openssl_encrypt <1.4.0 exposed in process listings.
Is CVE-2026-74873 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-74873 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 0.23% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-74873?
CVE-2026-74873 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.7. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-74873?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-74873. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-74873 affect?
CVE-2026-74873 affects openssl_encrypt < 1.4.0, Systems running openssl_encrypt CLI (Linux/Unix). Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-74873?
Upgrade to openssl_encrypt 1.4.0+, avoid passing secrets via --password; use stdin/secure stores.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Local attackers can read process args (ps,/proc) to harvest plaintext passwords and keystore passwords, enabling credential and key compromise.
Immediate action required
- affected< 1.4.0
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.