Medium

openssl-encrypt silently skips schema validation when jsonschema library is not installed

  • Disclosed: 31.03.2026
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 15:17

Summary

In openssl_encrypt/modules/json_validator.py at lines 234-238, when the jsonschema library is not installed, all schema validation is silently skipped with only a print warning.

Affected Code

python
if not JSONSCHEMA_AVAILABLE:
    print(f"Warning: Cannot validate against schema '{schema_name}' - jsonschema library not available")
    return

Additionally, unknown metadata format versions (line 288-293) bypass schema validation entirely, and all schemas use additionalProperties: true allowing arbitrary extra fields.

Impact

An attacker who can influence the Python environment (remove the jsonschema package) or craft metadata with an unknown version number can bypass all schema checks. Malformed or malicious metadata will be accepted without validation.

Recommended Fix

  • Make jsonschema a required dependency, not optional
  • Or fail-closed: refuse to process metadata when validation cannot be performed
  • Reject unknown format versions instead of silently skipping validation
  • Consider using additionalProperties: false in schemas

Fix

Fixed in commit 6e7f938 on branch releases/1.4.x — validate_against_schema() now raises JSONValidationError when jsonschema is unavailable instead of silently passing; changed print() warning to logging.warning().

Affected software

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PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
Python (PyPI) openssl-encrypt < 1.4.0 1.4.0

References

CVSS score -
CVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-20
Platform
Python (PyPI)
Package
openssl-encrypt
Disclosed
31.03.2026
Updated
11.10.2026 15:17

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2026-3755 - PyPA Advisory Database; CC BY 4.0

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-425g-fjhq-5h92 - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: openssl-encrypt

All published vulnerabilities of this package (Python (PyPI)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.

All (60) in the archive
Total entries
60
First → latest
03.2026 08.2026
Without a fix
0
Exploited in attacks
0

Severity breakdown

  • Critical 2
  • High 1
  • Medium 15
  • Unrated 42

Disclosures per year

  1. 2026: 60
Severity:
  1. openssl-encrypt silently skips schema validation when jsonschema library is not installed this entry
    Medium CVE-2026-74875 < 1.4.0 1.4.0

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