CVE-2022-41201 in 3D Visual Enterprise Viewer
Summary
by MITRE • 10/12/2022
Due to lack of proper memory management, when a victim opens a manipulated Right Hemisphere Binary (.rh, rh.x3d) file received from untrusted sources in SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Viewer - 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.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-41201 represents a critical memory corruption issue within SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Viewer version 9, specifically affecting the handling of Right Hemisphere Binary files with extensions .rh and .rh.x3d. This flaw arises from inadequate memory management practices during file processing, creating a dangerous attack surface where untrusted input can lead to arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow and CWE-416 Use After Free, indicating multiple memory safety issues that can be exploited by malicious actors.
When a victim opens a manipulated Right Hemisphere Binary file in the vulnerable SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Viewer, the application fails to properly validate or sanitize the file structure before processing. This insufficient input validation allows attackers to craft specially designed files that trigger memory corruption during parsing operations. The exploitation mechanism leverages either stack-based buffer overflow conditions or dangling pointer reuse scenarios where previously freed memory locations are accessed after being overwritten, creating opportunities for attackers to inject and execute malicious code within the application's memory space. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires no special privileges beyond user-level access to the target system, making it a potent remote code execution vector.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with potential persistence mechanisms within the target environment. Successful exploitation allows adversaries to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Viewer process, which typically runs with user-level permissions but may have access to sensitive system resources. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 Command and Scripting Interpreter for Windows Command Shell, as the executed code can leverage system utilities and potentially escalate privileges through further exploitation. The attack surface is particularly broad as SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Viewer is commonly used in enterprise environments for product visualization and collaboration, making it a prime target for supply chain attacks or phishing campaigns.
Organizations should prioritize immediate mitigation through patch management, as SAP has released security updates addressing this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing strict file validation controls, network segmentation, and user education regarding suspicious file attachments can significantly reduce exposure risk. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and proper memory management, particularly in applications handling complex binary file formats. Security monitoring should focus on unusual file access patterns and potential exploitation attempts, while network-based intrusion detection systems should be configured to identify malicious file transfer activities targeting vulnerable SAP installations. The remediation process should include comprehensive vulnerability assessment across all SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Viewer deployments to ensure complete protection against this and similar memory corruption vulnerabilities.