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Vulnerability details: VCID-cxsz-utx3-subs
Vulnerability ID VCID-cxsz-utx3-subs
Aliases GHSA-vfgx-5q85-58q3
Summary openssl-encrypt has non-cryptographic PRNG used for steganography pixel selection ### Summary The `generate_pseudorandom_sequence()` function in `openssl_encrypt/plugins/steganography/core/utils.py` at **lines 89-91** uses Python's `random` module (Mersenne Twister) for steganographic pixel/sample selection. ### Affected Code ```python random.seed(seed) sequence = random.sample(range(max_value), min(length, max_value)) return sequence ``` Additionally, the steganography password is stored as a plain Python string (not `SecureBytes`) and only 8 bytes (64 bits) of the SHA-256 hash are used for the seed, reducing effective security to 64 bits. ### Impact The Mersenne Twister's state can be recovered from approximately 624 outputs. An attacker who knows or guesses the password can predict the PRNG sequence and determine exactly which pixels contain hidden data, potentially extracting the hidden data without the password. ### Recommended Fix - Use HMAC-DRBG or `secrets` module for cryptographically secure pixel selection - Use full 32-byte SHA-256 output as seed material - Store the password in `SecureBytes` instead of a plain string ### Fix Fixed in commit `09e96e0` on branch `releases/1.4.x` — replaced random.seed(hash(password)) with HMAC-SHA256 based CSPRNG (Fisher-Yates shuffle) and numpy Generator with HMAC-derived seeds across all steganography format modules.
Status Published
Exploitability None
Weighted Severity None
Risk None
Affected and Fixed Packages Package Details
Weaknesses (3)
No exploits are available.
Vector: 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:U Found at https://github.com/jahlives/openssl_encrypt
Attack Vector (AV) Attack Complexity (AC) Attack Requirements (AT) Privileges Required (PR) User Interaction (UI) Vulnerable System Impact Confidentiality (VC) Vulnerable System Impact Integrity (VI) Vulnerable System Impact Availability (VA) Subsequent System Impact Confidentiality (SC) Subsequent System Impact Integrity (SI) Subsequent System Impact Availability (SA)

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Vector: 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:U Found at https://github.com/jahlives/openssl_encrypt/commit/09e96e090417d34d2f533f6810d3cd4f77810101
Attack Vector (AV) Attack Complexity (AC) Attack Requirements (AT) Privileges Required (PR) User Interaction (UI) Vulnerable System Impact Confidentiality (VC) Vulnerable System Impact Integrity (VI) Vulnerable System Impact Availability (VA) Subsequent System Impact Confidentiality (SC) Subsequent System Impact Integrity (SI) Subsequent System Impact Availability (SA)

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Vector: 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:U Found at https://github.com/jahlives/openssl_encrypt/security/advisories/GHSA-vfgx-5q85-58q3
Attack Vector (AV) Attack Complexity (AC) Attack Requirements (AT) Privileges Required (PR) User Interaction (UI) Vulnerable System Impact Confidentiality (VC) Vulnerable System Impact Integrity (VI) Vulnerable System Impact Availability (VA) Subsequent System Impact Confidentiality (SC) Subsequent System Impact Integrity (SI) Subsequent System Impact Availability (SA)

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physical

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passive

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No EPSS data available for this vulnerability.

Date Actor Action Source VulnerableCode Version
2026-06-12T07:50:28.043958+00:00 GithubOSV Importer Import https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2026/03/GHSA-vfgx-5q85-58q3/GHSA-vfgx-5q85-58q3.json 38.6.0