CVE-2025-8069
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows non-admin Windows users to execute arbitrary code with administrator privileges during AWS Client VPN installation. Attackers can place malicious code in an OpenSSL configuration file that gets executed when an admin runs the installer. Only Windows devices running AWS Client VPN versions before 5.2.2 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- AWS Client VPN
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise with administrative privileges, allowing installation of persistent malware, credential theft, and lateral movement across the network.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation where a non-admin user gains administrative access to install unauthorized software or modify system configurations.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper access controls prevent non-admin users from writing to the vulnerable directory or if installations are performed in isolated environments.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access to the Windows system and write permissions to the vulnerable directory. The attack vector is straightforward once these conditions are met.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 5.2.2
Vendor Advisory: https://aws.amazon.com/security/security-bulletins/AWS-2025-014/
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Download AWS Client VPN version 5.2.2 or later from the official AWS website. 2. Uninstall any previous versions. 3. Install the updated version with administrative privileges. 4. Verify installation by checking the version number.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict directory permissions
windowsSet restrictive permissions on the vulnerable directory to prevent non-admin users from writing to it.
icacls "C:\usr\local\windows-x86_64-openssl-localbuild\ssl" /inheritance:r /grant:r "Administrators:(OI)(CI)F" /grant:r "SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)F"
Remove vulnerable directory
windowsDelete the vulnerable directory if AWS Client VPN is not installed or needed.
rmdir /s /q "C:\usr\local\windows-x86_64-openssl-localbuild\ssl"
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict standard user access to Windows systems where AWS Client VPN installations occur
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized code from the vulnerable directory
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if AWS Client VPN version is below 5.2.2 and if the directory C:\usr\local\windows-x86_64-openssl-localbuild\ssl exists with writable permissions for non-admin users.Check Version:
Check AWS Client VPN application properties or run the client and check the about/help section for version information.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify AWS Client VPN version is 5.2.2 or higher and check that the vulnerable directory either doesn't exist or has restrictive permissions.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- File creation/modification events in C:\usr\local\windows-x86_64-openssl-localbuild\ssl directory by non-admin users
- Process execution events from the vulnerable directory during AWS Client VPN installation
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections following AWS Client VPN installation on Windows systems
SIEM Query:
EventID=4688 OR EventID=1 WHERE ProcessPath CONTAINS 'C:\usr\local\windows-x86_64-openssl-localbuild\ssl' AND SubjectUserName NOT IN ('Administrator', 'SYSTEM')