# CVE-2026-82312 - Windows local DoS via NULL DACL on service exit event and netsh guard semaphore

OpenVPN 2.x on Windows created the `--service` exit event and the `netsh.exe` guard semaphore with a NULL DACL, which allows a local user to interfere with other users' openvpn processes by blocking the netsh semaphore or by signalling the exit event, leading to a local denial of service. Only setups not using the interactive service, or using the automatic service to start and stop openvpn, are affected.

OpenVPN version 2.0.0 through 2.6.22 and 2.7_alpha1 through 2.7.6 are affected. This is fixed in version 2.7.7.

CVE Record: [CVE-2026-82312](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-82312)

Github:
* [OpenVPN/openvpn-private-issues#167](https://github.com/OpenVPN/openvpn-private-issues/issues/167)

Release notes:
* [openvpn-2.7.7](https://community.openvpn.net/ReleaseHistory#openvpn-277-released-3-september-2026)

Reported-By: DEBRAJ BASAK (https://in.linkedin.com/in/debrajbasak)