CVE-2023-7235

Local privilege escalation via replaceable service binary

Published Feb 21, 2024 · Updated Aug 26, 2024

Incorrect permissions in OpenVPN Inc. OpenVPN GUI before 2.6.9 allow local users to gain elevated execution through a replaced service binary. The Windows installer leaves a nonstandard installation directory writable under default permissions, allowing the OpenVPN service component to be replaced with attacker-controlled code. Exploitation requires a nondefault path and a service restart; the replacement then executes with the service's elevated privileges.

CVSS severity8.4
High
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect permissions in OpenVPN Inc. OpenVPN GUI before 2.6.9 allow local users to gain elevated execution through a replaced service binary. The Windows installer leaves a nonstandard installation directory writable under default permissions, allowing the OpenVPN service component to be replaced with attacker-controlled code. Exploitation requires a nondefault path and a service restart; the replacement then executes with the service's elevated privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-7235
Published
Feb 21, 2024
Updated
Aug 26, 2024
Vendor
OpenVPN Inc.
Product
OpenVPN
Classifications
CWE-276, T1574.010
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 21, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 26, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <=2.6.8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

OpenVPN Inc. · OpenVPNversion=0 <=2.6.8

Published CVSS scores

8.4CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-276Incorrect Default Permissions
T1574.010Hijack Execution Flow: Services File Permissions Weakness

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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