Overview
CVE-2025-8069 is a significant cybersecurity vulnerability affecting the AWS Client VPN client installation process on Windows devices. Specifically, this vulnerability arises due to the install process referencing a directory location to fetch the OpenSSL configuration file, which could potentially be manipulated by non-admin users. This issue is particularly noteworthy due to its potential to allow arbitrary code execution with root-level privileges if an admin user initiates the client installation process. Importantly, this vulnerability does not affect Linux or Mac devices, but Windows users should be aware of the potential risk.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-8069
Severity: High (CVSS: 7.8)
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
AWS Client VPN | Prior to version 5.2.2
How the Exploit Works
The exploit takes advantage of the AWS Client VPN client installation process on Windows devices. During the installation, the process references the C:\usr\local\windows-x86_64-openssl-localbuild\ssl directory to fetch the OpenSSL configuration file. A non-admin user with access to the system could replace the configuration file with one that contains arbitrary code. If an admin user starts the installation process thereafter, the arbitrary code in the configuration file will execute with root-level privileges, potentially leading to a complete system compromise.
Conceptual Example Code
This is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited. Here, a non-admin user places arbitrary code into the OpenSSL configuration file:
echo "arbitrary code" > C:\usr\local\windows-x86_64-openssl-localbuild\ssl\openssl.cnfThen, when an admin user starts the AWS Client VPN client installation process, the arbitrary code executes with root-level privileges:
.\AWSClientVPN.exe installThis could lead to a variety of outcomes, including system compromise and data leakage. To mitigate this vulnerability, we recommend applying the vendor patch or using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) as temporary mitigation. Furthermore, no new installations of AWS Client VPN on Windows should be performed prior to version 5.2.2.
