CVE-2026-74872: openssl-encrypt: Dynamic .so loading for Whirlpool uses broad glob pattern without integrity verification

CVE-2026-74872 · Severity: critical · CVSS 9.8 · Published 2026-08-17

openssl_encrypt versions before 1.4.0 contain an arbitrary code execution vulnerability in the Whirlpool hash implementation that uses broad glob patterns to load .so modules without integrity verification. Attackers can place malicious .so files matching the whirlpool*py313*.so pattern in site-packages directories to achieve native code execution when the module is loaded.

Technologies: Jahlives Openssl Encrypt, openssl-encrypt (PyPI). Vendors: Jahlives, PyPI.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-74872 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-74872 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-74872?
Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 9.8, published 17 August 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?
openssl-encrypt (PyPI) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=1.4.0.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-74872?
Yes. openssl-encrypt (PyPI): upgrade to 1.4.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-74872?
Check whether you run Jahlives Openssl Encrypt or openssl-encrypt (PyPI) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

How to fix

  • openssl-encrypt (PyPI): upgrade to 1.4.0 or later
    pip install "openssl-encrypt>=1.4.0"

Affected products

  • Jahlives Openssl Encrypt
  • openssl-encrypt (PyPI) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=1.4.0

Identifiers

  • CVE-2026-74872
  • GHSA-j48q-4c78-rhf9
  • PYSEC-2026-3742

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