CVE-2025-11462
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 · uneditedImproper Link Resolution Before File Access in the AWS VPN Client for macOS versions 1.3.2- 5.2.0 allows a local user to execute code with elevated privileges. Insufficient validation checks on the log destination directory during log rotation could allow a non-administrator user to create a symlink from a client log file to a privileged location. On log rotation, this could lead to code execution with root privileges if the user made crafted API calls which injected arbitrary code into the log file. We recommend users upgrade to AWS VPN Client for macOS 5.2.1 or the latest version.
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 confidenceThe AWS VPN Client for macOS versions 1.3.2-5.2.0 has a symlink vulnerability in its log rotation mechanism. The client insufficiently validates the log destination directory, allowing a non-administrator user to create a symlink from a client log file to a privileged location. By injecting arbitrary code through crafted API calls into the log file, the user can achieve code execution with root privileges when log rotation occurs.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify installed AWS VPN Client versionRun: ls /Applications/ | grep -i 'AWS VPN' to locate the app, then use: mdls -name kCFBundleShortVersionString '/Applications/AWS VPN Client.app' to retrieve the version numberAffected if The version falls within 1.3.2 through 5.2.0 (inclusive)
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Confirm the application is actively used or installedVerify the app bundle exists at /Applications/AWS VPN Client.app and check its last modified date or recent usageAffected if The vulnerable application version is installed and present on the system
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Locate AWS VPN Client log directoriesCheck common log locations: ls -la ~/Library/Logs/ | grep -i aws, and ls -la /var/log/ 2>/dev/null | grep -i aws for system-wide logsAffected if Log directories exist and are writable by non-administrator users
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Detect suspicious symlinks in log pathsUse: find ~/Library/Logs -type l -ls 2>/dev/null to list all symlinks under user log directories, then examine their targets using: readlink on each symlink foundAffected if Any symlink points to privileged locations outside the expected log directory (e.g., /Library/LaunchDaemons, /usr/local/bin, or other system directories)
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Inspect log rotation configurationCheck for log rotation scripts or configuration files: ls -la /Library/Application\ Support/AWSVPNClient/ 2>/dev/null and examine any cron jobs or launch agents related to the VPN clientAffected if Log rotation is automated via cron, launchd, or built-in mechanism that runs with elevated privileges
A system is affected if AWS VPN Client for macOS version 1.3.2 through 5.2.0 is installed and log directories or rotation mechanisms are accessible to non-administrator users who could create malicious symlinks.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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 · scopedUpgrade AWS VPN Client for macOS to version 5.2.1 or later to obtain the patch for this vulnerability.
AWS VPN Client for macOS 5.2.1 or latest
- Check the current installed version of AWS VPN Client for macOS (Apple menu > About AWS VPN Client)
- Navigate to the official AWS VPN Client download page at https://aws.amazon.com/vpn/client/
- Download the latest version of AWS VPN Client for macOS (version 5.2.1 or newer)
- Open the downloaded .dmg file
- Follow the on-screen prompts to install the upgrade, overwriting the existing installation
- Verify the new version is installed by checking About AWS VPN Client
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing1.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2025-11462 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-11462 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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