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ConnectApplication · Openvpn

CVE-2023-7245

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-02-20
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 3.4.4 / 3.4.8 or later.
See remediation →
80/100
Remediation priority · High
Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
The nodejs framework in OpenVPN Connect 3.0 through 3.4.3 (Windows)/3.4.7 (macOS) was not properly configured, which allows a local user to execute arbitrary code within the nodejs process context via the ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE environment variable

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

OpenVPN Connect embeds a nodejs/Electron framework that can be coerced into running as a plain Node.js process via the ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE environment variable. A local unprivileged user can set this environment variable and execute arbitrary code within the context of the OpenVPN Connect process, bypassing intended Electron sandboxing.

MitigationUpdate OpenVPN Connect to the latest patched version (3.4.4 or later for Windows, 3.4.8 or later for macOS) which properly restricts the ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE behavior, or implement application whitelisting/environment variable blocking as a compensating control.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
ConnectApplication
Affected:>= 3.2.0, < 3.4.4>= 3.2.0, < 3.4.8= 3.0.0= 3.0.1= 3.0.2= 3.1.0= 3.1.1= 3.1.2= 3.1.3

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check if OpenVPN Connect is installed
    Look for OpenVPN Connect installation: On Windows check Program Files or Program Files (x86) for 'OpenVPN Connect' folder, or check Registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall for OpenVPN Connect entry; On macOS check /Applications for OpenVPN Connect.app
    Affected if OpenVPN Connect is found on the system
  2. Determine installed version
    Open the application and check About/Help section for version number, or on Windows check the uninstall registry entry for DisplayVersion; on macOS right-click OpenVPN Connect.app and select Get Info to see version
    Affected if Version matches 3.0.0, 3.0.1, 3.0.2, 3.1.0, 3.1.1, 3.1.2, 3.1.3, or falls in range 3.2.0 to 3.4.3 (Windows) or 3.2.0 to 3.4.7 (macOS)
  3. Locate Electron/Node.js executable
    On Windows find 'OpenVPN Connect.exe' or related Electron executable within the OpenVPN Connect installation directory; on macOS locate the executable inside OpenVPN Connect.app/Contents/MacOS/
    Affected if The Electron-based OpenVPN Connect executable exists in the installation folder
  4. Verify vulnerability exposure
    Test whether setting ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE environment variable and launching the OpenVPN Connect executable causes it to run as a Node.js process (check via process name or node-specific behavior); alternatively check if the application binary accepts node-specific flags
    Affected if Setting ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE causes the OpenVPN Connect process to behave as a Node.js interpreter instead of running the GUI application

A user is affected if OpenVPN Connect version is 3.0.0-3.1.3, 3.2.0-3.4.3 (Windows), or 3.2.0-3.4.7 (macOS) and the Electron executable can be coerced into Node.js mode via the ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE environment variable

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 3.4.4 / 3.4.8 or later
Fixed in 3.4.43.4.8
Interim mitigation

Update OpenVPN Connect to the latest patched version (3.4.4 or later for Windows, 3.4.8 or later for macOS) which properly restricts the ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE behavior, or implement application whitelisting/environment variable blocking as a compensating control.

Recommended fix High confidence

OpenVPN Connect 3.4.8 (or later) for both Windows and macOS

  1. 1. Identify the operating system in use (Windows or macOS)
  2. 2. For Windows users: Navigate to openvpn.net and download OpenVPN Connect version 3.4.4 or later
  3. 3. For macOS users: Navigate to openvpn.net and download OpenVPN Connect version 3.4.8 or later
  4. 4. Uninstall the current OpenVPN Connect version
  5. 5. Install the downloaded fixed version
  6. 6. Verify the installed version matches or exceeds the required fixed release

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Connect Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation3.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
8.0 hours of engineering $1,420
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,272.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-7245 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data