CVE-2021-37202
📋 TL;DR
A use-after-free vulnerability in the IFC adapter of Siemens NX 1980 Series and Solid Edge SE2021 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening malicious IFC files. This affects all versions of NX 1980 Series before V1984 and Solid Edge SE2021 before SE2021MP8. Users of these CAD software products are at risk when processing untrusted IFC files.
💻 Affected Systems
- Siemens NX 1980 Series
- Siemens Solid Edge SE2021
📦 What is this software?
Nx 1980 by Siemens
Solid Edge by Siemens
Solid Edge by Siemens
Solid Edge by Siemens
Solid Edge by Siemens
Solid Edge by Siemens
Solid Edge by Siemens
Solid Edge by Siemens
Solid Edge by Siemens
Solid Edge by Siemens
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full remote code execution with the privileges of the current user, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data theft, or ransomware deployment.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution when a user opens a malicious IFC file, potentially leading to malware installation or data exfiltration.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper file handling policies and user awareness, potentially only crashing the application.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires crafting a malicious IFC file and convincing a user to open it. No public exploit code is known at this time.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: NX 1980 Series: V1984 or later; Solid Edge SE2021: SE2021MP8 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-208530.pdf
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download the latest version from Siemens support portal. 2. Install the update following vendor instructions. 3. Restart the application and system as required.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable IFC file association
windowsPrevent IFC files from automatically opening in vulnerable applications
Windows: Use 'Default Programs' settings to change file association for .ifc files to a different application
User awareness training
allTrain users not to open IFC files from untrusted sources
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized code
- Use network segmentation to isolate CAD workstations from critical systems
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check application version in Help > About or similar menu; compare against affected versions list.Check Version:
Windows: Check program version in Control Panel > Programs and Features; Linux: Check package version via package manager.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify installed version is NX 1980 Series V1984+ or Solid Edge SE2021 SE2021MP8+.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes when processing IFC files
- Unusual process creation from CAD applications
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected outbound connections from CAD workstations
- File downloads of IFC files from untrusted sources
SIEM Query:
Process creation where parent process contains 'nx' or 'solidedge' and child process is suspicious (e.g., cmd.exe, powershell.exe)