CVE-2025-8069
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 · uneditedDuring the AWS Client VPN client installation on Windows devices, the install process references the C:\usr\local\windows-x86_64-openssl-localbuild\ssl directory location to fetch the OpenSSL configuration file. As a result, a non-admin user could place arbitrary code in the configuration file. If an admin user starts the AWS Client VPN client installation process, that code could be executed with root-level privileges. This issue does not affect Linux or Mac devices. We recommend users discontinue any new installations of AWS Client VPN on Windows prior to version 5.2.2.
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 confidenceDuring AWS Client VPN Windows installation, the installer references a hardcoded path C:\usr\local\windows-x86_64-openssl-localbuild\ssl for the OpenSSL configuration file. A non-privileged user can place arbitrary malicious code in this predictable location, which executes with elevated privileges when an administrator runs the installer.
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.
-
Confirm AWS Client VPN is installed on WindowsLocate AWS Client VPN software on the system using standard methods for viewing installed Windows programs (such as through Control Panel Programs and Features, or using system inventory tools)Affected if AWS Client VPN for Windows is present on the system
-
Determine the installed version of AWS Client VPNObtain the version number of the installed AWS Client VPN software using standard Windows program information retrieval methodsAffected if The version number is lower than 5.2.2 (the fixed version)
-
Verify the hardcoded path exists and is writable by non-privileged usersCheck if the directory path C:\usr\local\windows-x86_64-openssl-localbuild\ssl exists on the system and inspect its permissions to determine if standard users can write to itAffected if The directory exists and non-privileged users have write access to it, allowing placement of malicious code that would execute during installation
A user is affected if AWS Client VPN for Windows is installed with a version lower than 5.2.2 and the hardcoded path C:\usr\local\windows-x86_64-openssl-localbuild\ssl is writable by non-privileged users.
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 to AWS Client VPN version 5.2.2 or later. Avoid new installations of vulnerable versions on Windows until patched.
5.2.2
- Check the current installed version of AWS Client VPN on the Windows system (via Add/Remove Programs or the application itself)
- Uninstall any existing AWS Client VPN version prior to 5.2.2
- Download AWS Client VPN version 5.2.2 or later from the official AWS website
- Install the new version with administrator privileges
- Verify the installation completed successfully and the version is correct
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,560.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2025-8069 — 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-2025-8069 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
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
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.
- 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