EUVD-2026-31941
GHSA-26rp-gp3x-v78c
Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessObtain local unprivileged shell on macOS host
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DeliveryEnumerate OpenVPN Connect helper IPC endpoint
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ExploitCraft IPC message with injected shell metacharacters
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ExecutionHelper executes command as root via CWE-78
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PersistSpawn root shell or install persistence
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ImpactPivot using cached VPN credentials
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization OS command sanitization, avoid shell exec
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 1 tactic: Execution The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | The attacker must already have local code execution as any user on a macOS host running OpenVPN Connect 3.5.1 through 3.8.1, and the OpenVPN Connect privileged background service must be loaded and reachable on its local IPC channel (the default state when the client is installed). No authentication, no user interaction, and no non-default configuration is needed beyond a standard OpenVPN Connect installation (CVSS AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N). Exploitation is limited to macOS builds in the 3.5.1-3.8.1 range and to scenarios where the attacker can run code locally - purely remote network attackers cannot reach the IPC endpoint, which is what holds EPSS and SSVC 'Automatable: no' down despite the 9.4 score. |
| Impact | Signals are mixed but lean toward 'high impact, narrow opportunity.' CVSS 4.0 9.4 with AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N reflects that any local unprivileged user can trigger the flaw with no interaction, and the scope-changed VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H captures the jump from user to root. SSVC corroborates this with Technical Impact: total. However, SSVC also reports Exploitation: none and Automatable: no, EPSS is 0.04% (14th percentile), the CVE is not in CISA KEV, and no public POC is referenced - so widespread opportunistic exploitation is unlikely. The realistic risk is post-compromise: any process or user already on a macOS endpoint (malware, phished user, shared workstation) gains a clean path to root, making this a meaningful priority on managed Mac fleets even though the EPSS number is low. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who already has an unprivileged shell on a macOS endpoint - for example through a phished user, a malicious app, or a compromised developer account - connects to the OpenVPN Connect privileged helper's local IPC endpoint and submits a crafted request whose parameters embed shell metacharacters. The helper passes the tainted input to an OS command executed as root, giving the attacker arbitrary command execution at root and a foothold to disable EDR, install a persistence agent, or pivot to corporate VPN credentials cached by the client. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, but the low attack complexity (AC:L) and absence of privilege or interaction requirements make a working POC straightforward to develop once the IPC protocol is reversed. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Jun 08, 2026
Local privilege escalation in OpenVPN Connect 3.5.1 through 3.8.1 on macOS allows unprivileged local users to execute arbitrary OS commands as root by abusing an exposed local IPC channel to the privileged background service. The flaw carries a CVSS 4.0 score of 9.4 with scope change (SC:H/SI:H/SA:H), and SSVC rates technical impact as total, though there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and EPSS is only 0.04%.
RemediationAI
Upgrade OpenVPN Connect for macOS to a version newer than 3.8.1 as published in the vendor release notes at https://openvpn.net/connect-docs/macos-release-notes.html; the input data does not name an exact fixed build, so administrators should consult those release notes for the first version above 3.8.1 that explicitly addresses CVE-2026-9560. Until patched, restrict who can log into affected Macs and consider unloading or disabling the privileged OpenVPN Connect launchd helper (which prevents establishing new VPN tunnels until reloaded), or temporarily uninstalling the client and routing users through an alternative VPN client on shared or multi-user macOS hosts. Monitor endpoint telemetry for unexpected child processes spawned by the OpenVPN Connect helper service as a detective control.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
OpenVPN Connect for macOS ships a privileged background helper (typically a launchd-managed service running as root) that performs VPN configuration, routing, and tunnel setup on behalf of the unprivileged GUI client. The two components communicate over a local IPC channel (Unix domain socket or Mach service). CWE-78 (OS Command Injection) indicates that input received on this IPC channel is passed to a shell or command interpreter without adequate neutralization, so a local caller can splice shell metacharacters or extra arguments into a command the helper executes as root. The CPE cpe:2.3:a:openvpn_inc:openvpn_connect identifies the OpenVPN Inc. Connect client as the affected product, and the vector AV:L confirms the attacker must already be a local user on the macOS host.
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Severity by source
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H
Primary rating from Vendor (OpenVPN) · only source for this CVE.
CVSS VectorVendor: OpenVPN
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Privilege escalation via background service of OpenVPN Connect 3.5.1 through 3.8.1 on macOS allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges via local IPC channel
Executive ViewAI
OpenVPN Connect (versions 3.5.1-3.8.1) on macOS contains a critical local privilege escalation vulnerability enabling any system user to gain root-level control. Organizations must assume that any macOS device running affected versions poses unmitigated risk of complete compromise, particularly in environments where remote or contractor access is granted.
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations: (1) Restrict local system access to affected macOS devices to authorized administrators only; (2) Uninstall OpenVPN Connect on systems that do not require it; (3) Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) to monitor for privilege escalation and unauthorized root-level process execution; (4) Implement strict access controls and multi-factor authentication for all system access; (5) Consider temporarily migrating affected macOS devices to alternative VPN solutions pending patch release.
Threat Intelligence Overview
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
VulDB
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
OS command injection occurs when an application passes unsanitized user input directly into system shell commands.
Privilege escalation occurs when an attacker leverages flaws in access control mechanisms to gain permissions beyond what they were originally granted.
Exploit-DB