GHSA-H45M-MGCP-Q388

openssl-encrypt: TOTP rate limiter is in-memory only, not shared across workers, lost on restart

class TOTPRateLimiter:
    def __init__(self, ...):
        self.attempts: Dict[str, List[datetime]] = defaultdict(list)
        self.lockouts: Dict[str, datetime] = {}

class TOTPService:
    _rate_limiter = TOTPRateLimiter()  # Class variable, in-memory only

1. Rate limit state is not shared across multiple server instances/workers, an attacker can distribute attempts
2. All rate limit state is lost on server restart, allows immediate retry
3. In multi-worker deployments, each worker has independent rate limit state

The application allocates resources such as memory, threads, or file descriptors based on untrusted input without enforcing a cap. Typical impact: resource exhaustion leading to denial of service.

Kodem intelligence

Already deployed Kodem?

• Use Redis or the database for rate limit state storage
• Or use a shared-memory approach for multi-worker deployments
• At minimum, persist lockout state to survive restarts

1. What is GHSA-H45M-MGCP-Q388? GHSA-H45M-MGCP-Q388 is a critical-severity allocation of resources without limits or throttling vulnerability in openssl-encrypt (pip), affecting versions < 1.4.0. It is fixed in 1.4.0. The application allocates resources such as memory, threads, or file descriptors based on untrusted input without enforcing a cap.
2. Which versions of openssl-encrypt are affected by GHSA-H45M-MGCP-Q388? openssl-encrypt (pip) versions < 1.4.0 is affected.
3. Is there a fix for GHSA-H45M-MGCP-Q388? Yes. GHSA-H45M-MGCP-Q388 is fixed in 1.4.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
4. Is GHSA-H45M-MGCP-Q388 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-H45M-MGCP-Q388 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
5. What actually determines whether GHSA-H45M-MGCP-Q388 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.
6. How do I fix GHSA-H45M-MGCP-Q388? Upgrade openssl-encrypt to 1.4.0 or later.

Other vulnerabilities in openssl-encrypt