Summary
openssl-encrypt accepts refresh tokens as URL query parameters causing token leakage
Refresh tokens are accepted as URL query parameters in the keyserver and telemetry server routes.
Affected Code
# openssl_encrypt_server/modules/keyserver/routes.py:214-215
# openssl_encrypt_server/modules/telemetry/routes.py:90-91
async def refresh_token(
request: Request,
refresh_token: str = Query(..., description="Refresh token")
):
Fix
Fixed in commit 4b2adb0 on branch releases/1.4.x, moved refresh token from Query parameter to POST body via RefreshRequest Pydantic model.
Impact
Tokens in URL query parameters are exposed in:
- Server access logs
- Proxy/CDN logs
- Browser history
- HTTP Referer headers
- Network monitoring tools
This creates significant token leakage risk.
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.
Already deployed Kodem?
See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
- Accept refresh tokens in the request body (POST) instead of query parameters
- Use
Body(...)instead ofQuery(...)
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-4RH7-JWG9-M28M? GHSA-4RH7-JWG9-M28M is a medium-severity security vulnerability in openssl-encrypt (pip), affecting versions < 1.4.0. It is fixed in 1.4.0.
- Which versions of openssl-encrypt are affected by GHSA-4RH7-JWG9-M28M? openssl-encrypt (pip) versions < 1.4.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-4RH7-JWG9-M28M? Yes. GHSA-4RH7-JWG9-M28M is fixed in 1.4.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-4RH7-JWG9-M28M exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-4RH7-JWG9-M28M 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-4RH7-JWG9-M28M 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-4RH7-JWG9-M28M? Upgrade
openssl-encryptto 1.4.0 or later.