Summary
openssl-encrypt silently skips schema validation when jsonschema library is not installed
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
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.
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().
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.
The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths. Typical impact: varies by context: data corruption, logic bypass, or denial of service.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
- Make
jsonschemaa 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: falsein schemas
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-425G-FJHQ-5H92? GHSA-425G-FJHQ-5H92 is a medium-severity improper input validation vulnerability in openssl-encrypt (pip), affecting versions < 1.4.0. It is fixed in 1.4.0. The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths.
- Which versions of openssl-encrypt are affected by GHSA-425G-FJHQ-5H92? openssl-encrypt (pip) versions < 1.4.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-425G-FJHQ-5H92? Yes. GHSA-425G-FJHQ-5H92 is fixed in 1.4.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-425G-FJHQ-5H92 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-425G-FJHQ-5H92 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether GHSA-425G-FJHQ-5H92 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix GHSA-425G-FJHQ-5H92? Upgrade
openssl-encryptto 1.4.0 or later.