CVE-2022-41310 in AutoCAD
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2022
A malicious crafted .dwf or .pct file when consumed through DesignReview.exe application could lead to memory corruption vulnerability by write access violation. This vulnerability in conjunction with other vulnerabilities could lead to code execution in the context of the current process.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-41310 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within the DesignReview.exe application that processes Autodesk DWF and PCT file formats. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices when handling maliciously crafted files, creating a pathway for arbitrary code execution. The flaw specifically manifests as a write access violation during file processing, indicating that the application fails to properly validate buffer boundaries when parsing these specific file types. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through legitimate file consumption channels, making it difficult to distinguish between benign and malicious file operations. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially formatted .dwf or .pct files that, when opened by the DesignReview.exe application, cause memory corruption leading to potential privilege escalation. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands within the application's security context. The memory corruption occurs when the application attempts to write data beyond allocated memory boundaries during the parsing of malformed file structures. This write access violation represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's memory management protocols, potentially allowing attackers to overwrite critical memory locations and redirect execution flow.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-41310 extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it creates a potential attack vector for privilege escalation and persistent access within affected systems. When successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to execute code within the context of the DesignReview.exe process, which typically runs with the privileges of the user who initiated the application. This means that if an attacker can convince a user to open a malicious file, they could potentially gain the same access level as that user, which could range from standard user privileges to elevated administrative rights depending on the system configuration. The vulnerability's exploitation potential increases significantly when combined with other security flaws, as attackers can chain multiple vulnerabilities to achieve more sophisticated attack objectives. The DesignReview.exe application is commonly used in engineering and architectural environments where users frequently open files from external sources, making the attack surface particularly broad. Organizations using Autodesk products in their workflows face elevated risk, especially in environments where file sharing occurs across network boundaries or where users have limited security awareness. The vulnerability's stealthy nature makes detection particularly challenging, as the malicious file execution may appear as normal application behavior until forensic analysis reveals the memory corruption patterns. This type of vulnerability represents a classic example of a zero-day threat potential, where the flaw exists in widely deployed software without known mitigations, requiring immediate attention from security teams.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-41310 must address both immediate protection measures and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the future. The most immediate solution involves applying vendor patches and updates as soon as they become available, which typically address the underlying memory management issues and implement proper input validation for file parsing operations. Organizations should also implement strict file validation policies that prevent automatic execution of files from untrusted sources, particularly those with .dwf or .pct extensions. Network segmentation and application whitelisting can help limit the potential impact by restricting which systems can execute DesignReview.exe and by controlling which files can be processed by the application. Security teams should deploy behavioral monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous memory access patterns and write violations during file processing operations. Additionally, implementing sandboxing techniques for file processing can isolate the vulnerable application from critical system resources, preventing successful exploitation attempts from affecting the broader system. Regular security assessments should include vulnerability scanning focused on file processing applications and input validation mechanisms. The remediation process should also involve user education programs to help personnel recognize potentially malicious files and understand the risks associated with opening untrusted documents. Organizations should maintain detailed logging of file access patterns and application behavior to facilitate incident response activities and forensic analysis. Compliance with security standards such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 requires implementing these protective measures, as they address the fundamental security controls needed to protect against memory corruption vulnerabilities. The vulnerability's classification as a high-severity issue under CVSS v3.1 underscores the necessity of immediate action, as the combination of ease of exploitation and potential for privilege escalation makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments.