diff --git a/.changes/next-release/bugfix-iam-84710.json b/.changes/next-release/bugfix-iam-84710.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a74600cb4853
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/next-release/bugfix-iam-84710.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "type": "bugfix",
+  "category": "``iam``",
+  "description": "Tighten file permissions for virtual MFA bootstrap output"
+}
diff --git a/awscli/customizations/iamvirtmfa.py b/awscli/customizations/iamvirtmfa.py
index c46fbd6ad3c9..6ecd9c297ba2 100644
--- a/awscli/customizations/iamvirtmfa.py
+++ b/awscli/customizations/iamvirtmfa.py
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@
 """
 
 import base64
+import os
 
+from awscli.compat import compat_open
 from awscli.customizations.arguments import (
     StatefulArgument,
     is_parsed_result_successful,
@@ -81,7 +83,9 @@ def _save_file(self, parsed, **kwargs):
         outfile = self._outfile.value
         if method in parsed['VirtualMFADevice']:
             body = parsed['VirtualMFADevice'][method]
-            with open(outfile, 'wb') as fp:
+            with compat_open(outfile, 'wb', access_permissions=0o600) as fp:
+                if hasattr(os, 'fchmod'):
+                    os.fchmod(fp.fileno(), 0o600)
                 fp.write(base64.b64decode(body))
             for choice in CHOICES:
                 if choice in parsed['VirtualMFADevice']:
diff --git a/tests/functional/iam/test_create_virtual_mfa_device.py b/tests/functional/iam/test_create_virtual_mfa_device.py
index 00aa0ab627d6..5677ebd07945 100644
--- a/tests/functional/iam/test_create_virtual_mfa_device.py
+++ b/tests/functional/iam/test_create_virtual_mfa_device.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
 import os
 
-from awscli.testutils import BaseAWSCommandParamsTest
+from awscli.testutils import BaseAWSCommandParamsTest, skip_if_windows
 
 
 class TestCreateVirtualMFADevice(BaseAWSCommandParamsTest):
@@ -161,3 +161,32 @@ def test_bad_response(self):
             stderr_contains=self.parsed_response['Error']['Message'],
             expected_rc=254,
         )
+
+    @skip_if_windows("Permissions test not valid on Windows.")
+    def test_output_file_permissions(self):
+        outfile = self.getpath('fiebaz_perms.b32')
+        self.addCleanup(self.remove_file_if_exists, outfile)
+        cmdline = self.prefix
+        cmdline += ' --virtual-mfa-device-name fiebaz'
+        cmdline += (
+            ' --outfile %s --bootstrap-method Base32StringSeed' % outfile
+        )
+        result = {"VirtualMFADeviceName": 'fiebaz'}
+        self.assert_params_for_cmd(cmdline, result)
+        self.assertEqual(os.stat(outfile).st_mode & 0xFFF, 0o600)
+
+    @skip_if_windows("Permissions test not valid on Windows.")
+    def test_output_file_permissions_existing_file(self):
+        outfile = self.getpath('fiebaz_perms_existing.b32')
+        self.addCleanup(self.remove_file_if_exists, outfile)
+        with open(outfile, 'wb') as f:
+            f.write(b'existing')
+        os.chmod(outfile, 0o644)
+        cmdline = self.prefix
+        cmdline += ' --virtual-mfa-device-name fiebaz'
+        cmdline += (
+            ' --outfile %s --bootstrap-method Base32StringSeed' % outfile
+        )
+        result = {"VirtualMFADeviceName": 'fiebaz'}
+        self.assert_params_for_cmd(cmdline, result)
+        self.assertEqual(os.stat(outfile).st_mode & 0xFFF, 0o600)