CVE-2021-38436
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedFATEK Automation WinProladder versions 3.30 and prior lacks proper validation of user-supplied data when parsing project files, which could result in a memory-corruption condition. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current process.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceWinProladder versions 3.30 and prior contains a memory-corruption vulnerability when parsing project files due to insufficient validation of user-supplied data, allowing arbitrary code execution in the context of the current process.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data<= 3.30CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Verify WinProladder installationCheck for WinProladder installation by searching the program files directory or using the Windows installed programs list (Add/Remove Programs). Look for 'WinProladder' or 'Fatek Winproladder' in the program listings.Affected if WinProladder is found on the system
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Determine installed versionLocate the WinProladder executable (typically in C:\Program Files\Fatek\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\Fatek\Winproladder\) and view its properties to find the File Version. Alternatively, check the Windows registry under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall for the installed version.Affected if A version number is returned from the installed software
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Compare version against affected rangeCompare the identified version number to the affected range: any version 3.30 or lower (including 3.30, 3.29, 3.28, etc.) is within the vulnerable range.Affected if The installed version is 3.30 or lower
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Assess file parsing exposureDetermine if the current user environment routinely opens or parses WinProladder project files (typically with extensions such as .wpl, .prj, or project files from external sources). Check for recent project file access or default file associations.Affected if The vulnerable version is installed AND the user opens or parses WinProladder project files
The environment is affected if WinProladder version 3.30 or prior is installed and the application is used to open project files, as the memory corruption vulnerability is triggered during project file parsing.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpdate WinProladder to a version newer than 3.30 when available, and avoid opening untrusted project files until the patch is applied. Implement network segmentation and run the application with least privilege to limit impact.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,392.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-38436 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-38436 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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