CVE-2023-27906
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by tricking victims into opening malicious USD (Universal Scene Description) files. It affects Autodesk software that processes USD files, potentially leading to complete system compromise. Users of affected Autodesk products are at risk.
💻 Affected Systems
- Autodesk Maya
- Autodesk 3ds Max
- Autodesk MotionBuilder
📦 What is this software?
Maya Usd by Autodesk
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise with attacker gaining complete control over the victim's computer, enabling data theft, ransomware deployment, or persistent access.
Likely Case
Limited code execution in the context of the vulnerable application, potentially allowing file system access, credential theft, or further malware installation.
If Mitigated
Application crash or denial of service if memory protections prevent successful code execution, with no data loss or system compromise.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction to open malicious file. No public exploit code has been released.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: May 2023 updates for affected products
Vendor Advisory: https://www.autodesk.com/trust/security-advisories/adsk-sa-2023-0003
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Autodesk Desktop App or access Autodesk Account. 2. Check for available updates. 3. Install May 2023 security updates for affected products. 4. Restart the application after installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable USD file association
windowsPrevent USD files from automatically opening in vulnerable applications
Windows: Control Panel > Default Programs > Associate a file type or protocol with a program > Change .usd association
User education and file filtering
allTrain users to avoid opening USD files from untrusted sources
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized code
- Use network segmentation to isolate affected systems from critical assets
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if Autodesk product version is earlier than May 2023 release. Open application and check Help > About for version information.Check Version:
Application-specific: Typically Help > About in GUI or maya -v in command lineVerify Fix Applied:
Verify installed version is May 2023 or later. Check that USD files open without crashes from known safe sources.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes when opening USD files
- Unexpected process creation from Autodesk applications
- Memory access violation errors in application logs
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections from Autodesk applications to unknown IPs
- Unexpected file downloads triggered by application
SIEM Query:
source="autodesk_logs" AND (event_type="crash" OR event_type="memory_violation") AND file_extension="usd"