CVE-2022-28663
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote code execution through specially crafted .NEU files in Simcenter Femap. Attackers can exploit an out-of-bounds write vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user. All Simcenter Femap users with versions before V2022.1.2 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Simcenter Femap
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise through remote code execution, potentially 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 data exfiltration or malware installation.
If Mitigated
Limited impact through application sandboxing or restricted user privileges, potentially causing only application crashes or denial of service.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction to open a malicious file. No public exploit code is available as of analysis.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: V2022.1.2
Vendor Advisory: https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-998762.pdf
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download Simcenter Femap V2022.1.2 or later from Siemens support portal. 2. Run the installer with administrative privileges. 3. Follow installation wizard prompts. 4. Restart the system after installation completes.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict .NEU file handling
windowsBlock or restrict opening of .NEU files through application control policies or file extension filtering.
User awareness training
allTrain users to only open .NEU files from trusted sources and verify file integrity before opening.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized code
- Run Femap with least privilege user accounts to limit potential damage
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Femap version via Help > About menu. If version is below V2022.1.2, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
Not applicable - check via GUI Help > About menuVerify Fix Applied:
Verify installed version is V2022.1.2 or higher in Help > About menu.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes when opening .NEU files
- Unexpected process creation from femap.exe
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from Femap process
SIEM Query:
Process creation where parent_process contains 'femap.exe' AND command_line contains suspicious patterns