CVE-2022-41197 in 3D Visual Enterprise Author
Summary
by MITRE • 10/12/2022
Due to lack of proper memory management, when a victim opens a manipulated VRML Worlds (.wrl, vrml.x3d) file received from untrusted sources in SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Viewer - version 9, it is possible for the application to crash and becomes temporarily unavailable to the user until restart of the application.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-41197 represents a critical memory management flaw within SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Viewer version 9, specifically affecting the handling of manipulated VRML Worlds files with extensions .wrl and vrml.x3d. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and memory allocation practices when processing untrusted 3D model data, creating a pathway for denial of service conditions that can severely impact user productivity and system availability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) files, which are commonly used for representing 3D interactive graphics and virtual environments. When a user opens a specially crafted malicious .wrl or vrml.x3d file, the SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Viewer application fails to properly manage memory allocation and deallocation processes during file parsing. This improper memory handling leads to application crashes and subsequent temporary unavailability of the viewer until manual restart is performed by the user.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of length of input buffers, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. The flaw represents a classic buffer overflow condition where the application does not adequately check the size and structure of incoming VRML data before attempting to process it. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where 3D visualization tools are frequently used for product design, engineering, and collaborative work processes.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-41197 extends beyond simple application crashes to encompass broader business continuity concerns. In manufacturing and engineering environments where SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Viewer is integral to product development workflows, a single compromised file can temporarily halt critical design reviews, collaboration sessions, and visualization tasks. The vulnerability affects the availability aspect of the CIA triad, specifically targeting system availability through denial of service mechanisms that require manual intervention for resolution.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including restricting user access to untrusted file sources, implementing network-based controls to filter suspicious VRML file types, and establishing robust file validation procedures before opening 3D model files. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203, which covers legitimate credentials, and T1499, which covers endpoint denial of service, as the exploitation requires user interaction with malicious files and results in system unavailability. Regular security updates and patches from SAP should be prioritized to address this memory management deficiency and prevent exploitation by threat actors seeking to disrupt business operations through targeted denial of service attacks.