dbcve.org
MicrostationApplication · Bentley

CVE-2021-46621

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2022-02-18
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 10.16.02 or later.
See remediation →
81/100
Remediation priority · High
No privileges

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
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Bentley MicroStation CONNECT 10.16.0.80. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the handling of JT files. The issue results from the lack of validating the existence of an object prior to performing further free operations on the object. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-15415.

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

A use-after-free vulnerability in Bentley MicroStation CONNECT's JT file parser. The code fails to validate an object's existence before performing free operations on it, allowing remote code execution via malicious JT files that the user opens.

MitigationRestrict opening of untrusted JT files and apply the vendor patch when available. Consider application sandboxing or isolation for untrusted file handling.

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
MicrostationApplication
Affected:< 10.16.02
Microstation ConnectApplication
Affected:<= 10.16.0.80
ViewApplication
Affected:< 10.16.02

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
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 checks

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

  1. Identify the installed Bentley product
    Open the application and navigate to Help > About Bentley [Product Name] or check Programs and Features to confirm whether MicroStation, MicroStation Connect, or Bentley View is installed
    Affected if The installed product is Bentley MicroStation, Bentley MicroStation Connect, or Bentley View
  2. Check the installed version number
    In the application, go to Help > About and note the exact version string displayed (for example, look for a version like 10.16.00.x or 10.16.02.x)
    Affected if The version is below 10.16.02 for MicroStation or View, or 10.16.0.80 or lower for MicroStation Connect
  3. Confirm JT file handling capability
    Verify that the application can open or import JT files by checking File > Open or File > Import for .jt file extension support, or attempt to open a known JT file
    Affected if JT file handling is available and the application can parse JT files
  4. Assess exposure to untrusted JT files
    Determine whether the system or its users open JT files from external or untrusted sources, such as files received via email, downloaded from the internet, or obtained from third parties
    Affected if Users can open JT files from untrusted or external sources in the affected software

The environment is affected if a vulnerable version of Bentley MicroStation, MicroStation Connect, or Bentley View is installed and users can open or process JT files in the application.

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 10.16.02 or later
Fixed in 10.16.02
Interim mitigation

Restrict opening of untrusted JT files and apply the vendor patch when available. Consider application sandboxing or isolation for untrusted file handling.

Recommended fix High confidence

10.16.02

  1. Upgrade MicroStation to version 10.16.02 or later
  2. Upgrade MicroStation Connect to version 10.16.02 or later
  3. Upgrade Bentley View to version 10.16.02 or later
  4. Obtain updates through Bentley Systems' official update channels or support portal
  5. Exercise caution when opening JT files from untrusted sources

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

Fix this in Microstation Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
12.0 hours of engineering $2,120
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An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,392.

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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-2021-46621 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