CVE-2026-84256
Received Received - Intake

Argument Parsing Flaw in OpenVPN Allows Remote Command Execution

Publication date: 2026-09-07

Last updated on: 2026-09-07

Assigner: OpenVPN Inc.

Description
An argument parsing issue in OpenVPN 2.1_rc10 through 2.6.22 and 2.7_alpha1 through 2.7.6 on Windows allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted certificate subject

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-07
Last Modified
2026-09-07
Generated
2026-09-07
AI Q&A
2026-09-07
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-84256
EUVD
EUVD-2026-72296

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
openvpn openvpn From 2.1_rc10 (inc) to 2.6.22 (inc)
openvpn openvpn From 2.7_alpha1 (inc) to 2.7.6 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-88 The product constructs a string for a command to be executed by a separate component in another control sphere, but it does not properly delimit the intended arguments, options, or switches within that command string.
CWE-78 The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component.

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability is an argument parsing issue in OpenVPN versions 2.1_rc10 through 2.6.22 and 2.7_alpha1 through 2.7.6 on Windows. It allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands by exploiting a crafted certificate subject.

Impact Analysis

An attacker with authenticated access could execute arbitrary commands on the affected system, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data theft, or system compromise. This could result in severe operational and security consequences.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access or data breaches, which may violate compliance requirements such as GDPR (data protection) or HIPAA (health information security). Organizations must address it to maintain regulatory compliance.

Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade OpenVPN to a version later than 2.6.22 or 2.7.6 to address the argument parsing issue in certificate subject handling.

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