Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-46635 affects Bentley MicroStation CONNECT 10.16.0.80. A malicious DGN file, or a malicious page that causes such content to be opened, can make the application write outside an allocated buffer. Successful exploitation could run attacker-controlled code as the user running MicroStation.
Executive priority
Treat this as high priority where MicroStation is used with externally supplied project files. The business risk is workstation compromise through normal design-file workflows, not internet-wide scanning. Prioritize asset identification, vendor guidance review, and controls around untrusted DGN handling.
Technical view
The flaw is a CWE-787 out-of-bounds write in DGN file parsing. The CVSS 3.0 score is 7.8 high, with user interaction required and no privileges required. The reported impact is full confidentiality, integrity, and availability compromise within the current process context.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in engineering, architecture, construction, or infrastructure environments running Bentley MicroStation CONNECT 10.16.0.80, especially where users receive DGN files from external partners, email, file shares, portals, or project collaboration systems.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not indicate active exploitation, and KEV status is false. Exploitation requires convincing a user to open a malicious file or visit a malicious page. ZDI tracked the issue as ZDI-CAN-15507 and published advisory ZDI-22-222.
Researcher notes
The evidence identifies one affected product/version and the vulnerability class, but the prompt bundle does not include detailed patch version, exploit availability, or detection indicators. Avoid expanding scope beyond Bentley MicroStation CONNECT 10.16.0.80 unless vendor sources confirm it.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory MicroStation installations and flag CONNECT 10.16.0.80.
- Review Bentley BE-2021-0009 for supported update or workaround guidance.
- Limit opening DGN files from untrusted external sources.
- Apply attachment and web filtering for suspicious DGN delivery paths.
- Use endpoint controls to reduce impact if MicroStation is compromised.
Validation and detection
- Confirm installed MicroStation CONNECT versions on engineering workstations.
- Check whether any hosts are running version 10.16.0.80.
- Review email, web, and file-sharing paths that deliver DGN files.
- Verify remediation status against Bentley advisory BE-2021-0009.
- Monitor endpoint alerts involving MicroStation processing unexpected external files.
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-787: 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 lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-46635 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 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/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:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.0/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://www.bentley.com/en/common-vulnerability-exposure/BE-2021-0009CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-22-222/CVE 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.
Out-of-bounds Write
Out-of-bounds Write represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.