CVE-2021-44045
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote code execution through specially crafted DGN files in Open Design Alliance Drawings SDK. Attackers can exploit an out-of-bounds write vulnerability to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current process. Organizations using affected versions of the SDK for CAD file processing are at risk.
💻 Affected Systems
- Open Design Alliance Drawings SDK
📦 What is this software?
Drawings Sdk by Opendesign
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with attacker gaining the same privileges as the application processing the DGN file, potentially leading to lateral movement and data exfiltration.
Likely Case
Application crash leading to denial of service, with potential for remote code execution if the attacker can deliver a malicious DGN file to a vulnerable system.
If Mitigated
No impact if the vulnerability is patched or if DGN file processing is disabled/isolated.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires delivering a malicious DGN file to a vulnerable system. No authentication is needed if the application processes files from untrusted sources.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2022.11 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.opendesign.com/security-advisories
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download Open Design Alliance Drawings SDK version 2022.11 or later. 2. Replace the vulnerable SDK components in your application. 3. Recompile and redeploy your application. 4. Restart any services using the SDK.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable DGN file processing
allTemporarily disable or block DGN file processing in applications using the vulnerable SDK
File type filtering
allImplement file type validation to reject DGN files at network boundaries and application entry points
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate applications using the SDK in network segments with restricted access
- Implement application sandboxing or containerization to limit potential damage from exploitation
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check the SDK version used by your application. If it's older than 2022.11, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
Check your application's documentation or configuration files for SDK version information. For compiled applications, you may need to contact the vendor.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify that your application uses Open Design Alliance Drawings SDK version 2022.11 or later.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes when processing DGN files
- Unusual process creation from CAD applications
- Memory access violation errors in application logs
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected DGN file transfers to vulnerable systems
- Network traffic patterns indicating file uploads to CAD processing services
SIEM Query:
source="application_logs" AND ("DGN" OR "Open Design Alliance") AND ("crash" OR "access violation" OR "buffer overflow")