Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Delta Electronics DOPSoft 2 versions 2.00.07 and earlier can mishandle certain project files. If a user opens a malicious file, code could run with that user’s privileges. This is high urgency for engineering workstations that exchange project files.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority engineering workstation risk, not an internet-facing server emergency. Prioritize sites using Delta HMI project workflows and third-party project file exchange, because compromise could affect operational engineering environments.
Technical view
The CVE describes improper validation of user-supplied data during DOPSoft 2 project file parsing, causing a heap-based buffer overflow, CWE-122. CVSS 3.1 is 7.8 with local attack vector, low complexity, no privileges, required user interaction, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Windows engineering workstations where Delta Electronics DOPSoft 2 is installed, especially version 2.00.07 or earlier, and users open project files from email, vendors, contractors, shared drives, or removable media.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation evidence. Exploitation requires convincing a user to open a crafted project file locally. Successful exploitation could execute code in the current DOPSoft process context.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports a local file-parsing memory corruption issue in DOPSoft 2 with user interaction required. The source bundle does not provide exploit availability, patch version details, or proof of active exploitation, so those points should be verified from vendor and CISA materials.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory DOPSoft 2 installations and identify versions 2.00.07 or earlier.
- Check Delta Electronics and CISA advisory guidance for supported updates or mitigations.
- Restrict opening DOPSoft project files from untrusted sources.
- Limit engineering workstation internet, email, and removable media exposure.
- Ensure endpoint protection and backups cover engineering workstations.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether DOPSoft 2 is installed on engineering and maintenance workstations.
- Record installed DOPSoft versions and compare against 2.00.07 and earlier.
- Review how project files are received, shared, and approved before opening.
- Check whether compensating controls restrict untrusted project file handling.
- Document remediation status against vendor or CISA guidance.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-122: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-38404 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ics/advisories/icsa-21-252-02CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Heap-based Buffer Overflow
Heap-based Buffer Overflow represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.