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Cryptography

CVE-2026-74896

9.3
Critical
EPSS 0.34%Patch availableAug 17, 2026

Sandbox escape in openssl_encrypt AST enables arbitrary system command execution.

common questions

Is CVE-2026-74896 being exploited?

Not confirmed. CVE-2026-74896 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 0.34% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How severe is CVE-2026-74896?

CVE-2026-74896 is rated Critical with a CVSS score of 9.3. 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-2026-74896?

Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-74896. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.

What does CVE-2026-74896 affect?

CVE-2026-74896 affects openssl_encrypt < 1.4.0, applications using DangerousPatternVisitor AST analyzer, plugin sandboxes relying on openssl_encrypt. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.

What should I do about CVE-2026-74896?

Upgrade to openssl_encrypt >=1.4.0; audit and restrict plugin code execution.

Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.

executive summary
technical analysis
affected
openssl_encrypt < 1.4.0applications using DangerousPatternVisitor AST analyzerplugin sandboxes relying on openssl_encrypt
impact

Attackers can escape plugin sandbox via __class__/__globals__ traversal to execute arbitrary system commands (RCE) from plugin code.

action required

Immediate action required

affected versions
jahlives openssl_encrypt
  • affected< 1.4.0
vendor says fixed in1.4.0

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.

how to fix
Remediation steps are tailored for users whose stack is affected. Add this technology to your stack to see the fix checklist.
references
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