Summary
openssl-encrypt has no owner verification on key revocation, any client can revoke any key
The revoke_key method in openssl_encrypt_server/modules/keyserver/service.py at lines 195-270 accepts a client_id parameter but never verifies that the requesting client is the same as key.owner_client_id.
Fix
Fixed in commit 05e45f3 on branch releases/1.4.x, added documentation that ML-DSA signature verification IS the cryptographic ownership check; added info-level logging on successful verification.
Impact
Any authenticated client can revoke any other client's key, as long as they provide a valid revocation signature. While the signature requirement mitigates this somewhat (you need the private key to sign), the lack of ownership check is a defense-in-depth gap.
The application does not perform an authorization check before performing a sensitive operation. Typical impact: unauthorized access to restricted functionality or data.
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
- Add an ownership check: verify
client_id == key.owner_client_idbefore allowing revocation - Return 403 Forbidden if the requesting client does not own the key
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-HVC7-763R-4F3H? GHSA-HVC7-763R-4F3H is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in openssl-encrypt (pip), affecting versions < 1.4.0. It is fixed in 1.4.0. The application does not perform an authorization check before performing a sensitive operation.
- Which versions of openssl-encrypt are affected by GHSA-HVC7-763R-4F3H? openssl-encrypt (pip) versions < 1.4.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-HVC7-763R-4F3H? Yes. GHSA-HVC7-763R-4F3H is fixed in 1.4.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-HVC7-763R-4F3H exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-HVC7-763R-4F3H 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-HVC7-763R-4F3H 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-HVC7-763R-4F3H? Upgrade
openssl-encryptto 1.4.0 or later.