dbcve.org
Software CenterApplication · Siemens

CVE-2021-41544

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-08-08
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 3.0 or later.
See remediation →
80/100
Remediation priority · High
Zero-click

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 · unedited
A vulnerability has been identified in Siemens Software Center (All versions < V3.0). A DLL Hijacking vulnerability could allow a local attacker to execute code with elevated privileges by placing a malicious DLL in one of the directories on the DLL search path.

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 confidence

This is a DLL hijacking vulnerability in Siemens Software Center versions prior to V3.0. The application uses unsafe DLL loading, allowing a local attacker to place a malicious DLL in a directory on the application's DLL search path. When the application runs, it loads the attacker's DLL instead of the legitimate one, enabling code execution with elevated privileges.

MitigationUpgrade to Siemens Software Center V3.0 or later. If immediate upgrade is not possible, audit and restrict write access to directories on the DLL search path to prevent attacker placement of malicious DLLs.

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
Software CenterApplication
Affected:< 3.0

CVSS 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
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify Siemens Software Center installation
    Search for Siemens Software Center in system program directories (e.g., Program Files, Program Files (x86)) or query installed programs via system inventory tools
    Affected if The application is installed on the system
  2. Determine installed version
    Right-click the executable (commonly named SiemensSoftwareCenter.exe or similar), select Properties, and view the Version tab; alternatively, check the Windows Registry under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Siemens\SoftwareCenter for a Version value
    Affected if Version information cannot be obtained or shows a version lower than 3.0
  3. Compare version to affected range
    Note the exact version number and compare against the affected range: versions prior to V3.0
    Affected if Installed version is any release before V3.0 (e.g., V2.x, V1.x)
  4. Identify application DLL search path
    Run the application while monitoring DLL loads using tools like Process Monitor or Dependencies Walker; observe which directories the process searches for DLLs
    Affected if The application uses current directory or unsecure paths in its DLL search order
  5. Check write access to DLL search path directories
    Review file system permissions on directories identified in the DLL search path; use icacls or equivalent to list permissions for non-admin users
    Affected if Non-privileged users have write permission to any directory on the application's DLL search path

User is affected if Siemens Software Center is installed with a version lower than V3.0 AND non-privileged users can write to directories on the application's DLL search path.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 3.0 or later
Fixed in 3.0
Interim mitigation

Upgrade to Siemens Software Center V3.0 or later. If immediate upgrade is not possible, audit and restrict write access to directories on the DLL search path to prevent attacker placement of malicious DLLs.

Recommended fix High confidence

Siemens Software Center V3.0

  1. Identify the current version of Siemens Software Center currently installed
  2. Download Siemens Software Center V3.0 or later from the official Siemens download portal (cert-portal.siemens.com or siemens.com)
  3. Backup any existing configuration data as recommended by Siemens documentation
  4. Install Siemens Software Center V3.0 or newer using the standard installation procedure
  5. Verify the installation was successful and the version number reflects the upgrade

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Software Center Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
14.0 hours of engineering $2,490
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An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,984.

Scan for this in your stack

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-41544 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • 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
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data