CVE-2021-27380 in Solid Edge SE2020
Summary
by MITRE • 03/16/2021
A vulnerability has been identified in Solid Edge SE2020 (All Versions < SE2020MP13), Solid Edge SE2021 (All Versions < SE2021MP3), Solid Edge SE2021 (SE2021MP3). Affected applications lack proper validation of user-supplied data when parsing PAR files. This could result in an out of bounds write past the end of an allocated structure. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. (ZDI-CAN-12532)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-27380 represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting Siemens Solid Edge software versions prior to specific maintenance releases. This issue resides within the PAR file parsing functionality of the Solid Edge applications, which are widely used in engineering and manufacturing environments for computer-aided design and drafting. The affected versions include Solid Edge SE2020 through MP12 and Solid Edge SE2021 through MP2, making this a significant concern for organizations utilizing these software platforms in their design workflows.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the PAR file parser component. When the application processes user-supplied PAR files, it fails to properly validate the structure and boundaries of the data being parsed. This deficiency creates a scenario where an attacker can craft a malicious PAR file containing specially formatted data that exceeds the allocated memory boundaries of internal data structures. The vulnerability manifests as an out-of-bounds write condition, where the application attempts to write data beyond the allocated memory space, potentially corrupting adjacent memory regions.
This memory corruption vulnerability presents a severe operational risk as it can be exploited to achieve arbitrary code execution within the context of the currently running Solid Edge process. The attacker's ability to execute code with the privileges of the target user opens pathways for various malicious activities including data exfiltration, system compromise, and persistence mechanisms. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Solid Edge is used for critical design work, as successful exploitation could lead to the compromise of intellectual property and sensitive engineering designs.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation leading to memory corruption. From an attack perspective, this flaw maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation would likely involve executing malicious code within the application's process context. Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of available patches from Siemens, specifically targeting the maintenance releases mentioned in the advisory. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure, while regular security assessments of engineering environments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other software systems.