CVE-2021-46153 : Security Advisory and Response

A memory corruption vulnerability in Siemens' Simcenter Femap V2020.2 and V2021.1 could allow attackers to execute code in the current process context.

Understanding CVE-2021-46153

What is CVE-2021-46153?

The vulnerability exists in the way Simcenter Femap parses NEU files, leading to memory corruption and potential code execution by malicious actors.

The Impact of CVE-2021-46153

The vulnerability could be exploited to execute code within the context of the affected application, posing a significant security risk.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-46153

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability is due to improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer, categorized under CWE-119.

Affected Systems and Versions

Simcenter Femap V2020.2 (All versions)
Simcenter Femap V2021.1 (All versions)

Exploitation Mechanism

The flaw could be leveraged by attackers to manipulate NEU files and trigger memory corruption to execute arbitrary code.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the security patch provided by Siemens to fix the vulnerability.
Avoid opening untrusted NEU files.
Monitor Siemens' security advisories for updates.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software versions to stay protected against known vulnerabilities.
Conduct security assessments to identify and address potential weaknesses.
Implement strict file input validation to prevent arbitrary code execution.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that all instances of Simcenter Femap are updated with the latest patches to mitigate the memory corruption vulnerability.