CVE-2023-45601 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability has been identified in Parasolid V35.0, Parasolid V35.1, Parasolid V36.0, Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2201, and Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2302. The affected applications contain a stack overflow vulnerability when parsing specially crafted IGS files, potentially allowing an attacker to execute code in the current process context.

Understanding CVE-2023-45601

This CVE affects multiple versions of Siemens software including Parasolid and Tecnomatix Plant Simulation.

What is CVE-2023-45601?

CVE-2023-45601 is a stack overflow vulnerability found in various versions of Siemens software, enabling the execution of unauthorized code within the impacted software's context.

The Impact of CVE-2023-45601

The vulnerability could be exploited by a malicious actor to run arbitrary code on a target system, leading to potential data breaches, system compromise, and unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-45601

The following are the technical details related to CVE-2023-45601:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises due to a stack overflow issue in the affected Siemens applications while processing specifically crafted IGS files.

Affected Systems and Versions

Siemens Parasolid V35.0 (All versions < V35.0.262)
Siemens Parasolid V35.1 (All versions < V35.1.250)
Siemens Parasolid V36.0 (All versions < V36.0.169)
Siemens Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2201 (All versions < V2201.0009)
Siemens Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2302 (All versions < V2302.0003)

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploiting this vulnerability involves crafting malicious IGS files to trigger a stack overflow condition, thereby executing arbitrary code in the software's execution environment.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-45601, consider the following mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply security patches or updates provided by Siemens promptly.
Implement network security measures to minimize the risk of unauthorized access.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and maintain the Siemens software to ensure protection against known vulnerabilities.
Conduct security audits and assessments to identify and address potential weaknesses in software security.

Patching and Updates

Visit the Siemens ProductCert for detailed information regarding the security advisory and patching instructions.