Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-46640 is a high-severity issue in Bentley View 10.15.0.75. A malicious DGN file, or malicious page leading to one, could make the application write outside memory bounds and run attacker code as the current user.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority workstation risk for engineering environments, especially where external CAD files are routine. It is not described as wormable or remotely exploitable without user action, but compromise could give an attacker code execution on a user machine.
Technical view
The flaw is a CWE-787 out-of-bounds write in DGN file parsing in Bentley View 10.15.0.75. CVSS 3.0 is 7.8: local attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely where Bentley View 10.15.0.75 is installed and users open DGN files from external projects, suppliers, email, portals, or web links. The supplied sources identify only Bentley View 10.15.0.75 as affected.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not indicate known active exploitation, and KEV is false. Exploitation requires user interaction: the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. Successful exploitation could execute code in the current process context.
Researcher notes
The key technical issue is DGN parsing causing a write past an allocated buffer. The record maps to ZDI-CAN-15512 and ZDI-22-227. The provided bundle does not name a fixed version, patch status, exploit availability, or detailed mitigations.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory Bentley View installations and identify version 10.15.0.75.
- Check Bentley advisory BE-2021-0009 for vendor-supported update or mitigation guidance.
- Restrict opening DGN files from untrusted or unsolicited sources.
- Use endpoint controls to limit risky file handling for CAD viewer workflows.
- Prioritize remediation for users receiving external design files.
Validation and detection
- Confirm installed Bentley View versions on engineering and design workstations.
- Review file association and mail gateway handling for DGN attachments.
- Check whether affected users process DGN files from outside the organization.
- Monitor endpoint alerts around Bentley View child processes or abnormal crashes.
- Document remediation status against Bentley advisory BE-2021-0009.
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
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CWE-787: Exact CWE lookup
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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-2021-46640 mapping review
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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-22-227/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.