Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-46646 affects Bentley MicroStation CONNECT 10.16.0.80. A malicious DGN file can corrupt memory and may let an attacker run code as the user who opens it. The main business risk is compromise of engineering workstations through unsafe file handling.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority for organizations using MicroStation in design or engineering workflows. It is not a broad internet-facing issue, but a single malicious project file could compromise a high-value workstation.
Technical view
The flaw is a CWE-787 out-of-bounds write in DGN parsing. Crafted DGN data can write past an allocated buffer and enable code execution in the current process. Exploitation requires user interaction, either opening a malicious file or visiting a malicious page.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely where Bentley MicroStation CONNECT 10.16.0.80 is installed, especially for teams receiving DGN files from external parties, partners, project portals, or email attachments.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. The attack path requires user interaction, but the impact is high because successful exploitation can execute arbitrary code in the user's process.
Researcher notes
ZDI tracks this as ZDI-22-233 and ZDI-CAN-15532. The source bundle identifies the vulnerable parser behavior and impact, but does not provide a fixed version, exploit availability, or evidence of active exploitation.
Mitigation direction
- Check Bentley advisory BE-2021-0009 for vendor-supported fixed versions or updates.
- Prioritize remediation on engineering workstations handling external DGN files.
- Restrict opening DGN files from untrusted sources until vendor guidance is applied.
- Use endpoint controls and least privilege to limit impact of user-context code execution.
Validation and detection
- Inventory endpoints for Bentley MicroStation CONNECT 10.16.0.80.
- Identify users and workflows that process externally supplied DGN files.
- Confirm whether Bentley BE-2021-0009 remediation has been applied.
- Review security monitoring for suspicious activity around MicroStation processes.
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
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-2021-46646 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-22-233/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.