CVE-2022-41179 in 3D Visual Enterprise Author
Summary
by MITRE • 10/12/2022
Due to lack of proper memory management, when a victim opens a manipulated Jupiter Tesselation (.jt, JtTranslator.exe) file received from untrusted sources in SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Author - version 9, it is possible that a Remote Code Execution can be triggered when payload forces a stack-based overflow or a re-use of dangling pointer which refers to overwritten space in memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/25/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-41179 represents a critical memory safety issue within SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Author version 9, specifically affecting the JtTranslator.exe component responsible for processing Jupiter Tesselation (.jt) files. This flaw stems from inadequate memory management practices that fail to properly validate or sanitize input data during file parsing operations. The vulnerability manifests when legitimate users open maliciously crafted .jt files from untrusted sources, creating an attack surface where remote code execution becomes possible through controlled memory corruption techniques.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on triggering either stack-based buffer overflow conditions or dangling pointer reuse scenarios that occur when the JtTranslator.exe process attempts to parse malformed .jt file structures. When processing these manipulated files, the application fails to implement proper bounds checking or memory allocation validation, allowing attackers to overwrite critical memory regions including stack frames or heap allocated structures. The stack-based overflow occurs when input data exceeds allocated buffer boundaries, potentially overwriting return addresses or function parameters, while the dangling pointer reuse happens when freed memory locations are accessed after being reallocated, creating opportunities for code injection through overwritten memory references.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution capabilities, as it provides attackers with potential persistence mechanisms and privilege escalation paths within the targeted environment. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Author process, which typically runs with elevated permissions on the target system. This creates opportunities for lateral movement within networks where SAP systems are deployed, as well as potential data exfiltration or system compromise scenarios. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on 3D visualization capabilities for engineering design, manufacturing, or product development workflows, making it particularly dangerous in industrial control systems and enterprise environments.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including restricting file upload and opening capabilities from untrusted sources, deploying network segmentation to limit access to SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Author systems, and implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of unauthorized .jt file handlers. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow and CWE-416 Use After Free categories, representing fundamental memory safety issues that violate secure coding practices. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1078 Valid Accounts, as exploitation typically requires legitimate user interaction with malicious files and may lead to account compromise. Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates characteristics of T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, where attackers leverage application-specific flaws to execute code in the context of the target application. Regular security updates and patches from SAP should be prioritized, while organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify systems running affected versions of the software and implement comprehensive monitoring for suspicious file processing activities.