CVE-2021-46157
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote code execution through memory corruption when Simcenter Femap parses malicious NEU files. Attackers could execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user. Affects all versions of Simcenter Femap V2020.2 and V2021.1.
💻 Affected Systems
- Simcenter Femap
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise via remote code execution leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or lateral movement within the network.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution when a user opens a malicious NEU file, potentially leading to malware installation.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if file execution is restricted through application whitelisting and users don't process untrusted NEU files.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction to open a malicious NEU file; no authentication bypass needed beyond file access.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Update to V2022.1 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-609880.pdf
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download latest version from Siemens support portal. 2. Install update following vendor instructions. 3. Restart system to complete installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict NEU file handling
windowsBlock or restrict processing of NEU files through application controls
User awareness training
allTrain users not to open NEU files from untrusted sources
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to restrict Femap execution
- Use network segmentation to isolate Femap systems from critical assets
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Femap version via Help > About; if version is V2020.2 or V2021.1, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
Not applicable - check via GUI Help > About menuVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is V2022.1 or later in Help > About dialog.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected process crashes of femap.exe
- Unusual file access patterns to NEU files
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from Femap processes
SIEM Query:
Process: femap.exe AND (EventID: 1000 OR EventID: 1001) OR FileAccess: *.neu FROM untrusted sources