CVE-2024-8896 in AutoCAD
Summary
by MITRE • 10/30/2024
A maliciously crafted DXF file when parsed in acdb25.dll through Autodesk AutoCAD can force to access a variable prior to initialization. A malicious actor can leverage this vulnerability to cause a crash, write sensitive data, or execute arbitrary code in the context of the current process.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-8896 represents a critical memory safety issue within Autodesk AutoCAD's acdb25.dll component that processes DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) files. This flaw manifests as an uninitialized variable access condition that occurs during the parsing of maliciously crafted DXF files, creating a dangerous attack surface for threat actors targeting AutoCAD users. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper initialization of variables as classified by CWE-457, which directly relates to the fundamental security principle that all variables must be properly initialized before use to prevent unpredictable behavior and potential exploitation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when AutoCAD attempts to parse a specially crafted DXF file that triggers the acdb25.dll module to access memory locations containing uninitialized data. This uninitialized variable access creates multiple potential attack vectors including denial of service through application crashes, information disclosure via sensitive data exposure, and most critically arbitrary code execution within the AutoCAD process context. The attack requires minimal user interaction beyond opening the malicious file, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where AutoCAD is widely used for design and drafting operations.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on AutoCAD for their design workflows, as it can be leveraged to compromise entire design networks through targeted attacks. The vulnerability's exploitation potential aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) when executed in a compromised environment. The fact that the vulnerability operates within the AutoCAD process context means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, especially if the application runs with elevated privileges or has access to sensitive design data repositories.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest Autodesk security patches, implementing strict file validation policies for DXF files, and deploying network segmentation controls to limit the potential impact of exploitation. Additional defensive measures should include monitoring for suspicious AutoCAD process behavior, implementing application whitelisting policies, and conducting regular security assessments of CAD environments. The vulnerability's classification as a memory safety issue also suggests that automated static analysis tools and dynamic application security testing should be employed to identify similar patterns in other AutoCAD components or third-party extensions that may be susceptible to similar uninitialized variable access flaws.