CVE-2023-38681
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 · uneditedA vulnerability has been identified in Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2201 (All versions < V2201.0008), Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2302 (All versions < V2302.0002). The affected application contains an out of bounds write past the end of an allocated buffer while parsing a specially crafted IGS file. This could allow an attacker to execute code in the context of the current process. (ZDI-CAN-21270)
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 confidenceAn out-of-bounds write vulnerability exists in Tecnomatix Plant Simulation when parsing specially crafted IGS (Initial Graphics Exchange Specification) files. The application writes past the end of an allocated buffer during IGS file parsing, which could allow an attacker to achieve 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>= 2201, < 2201.0008>= 2302, < 2302.0002CVSS 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.
-
Locate Tecnomatix Plant Simulation installationCheck the Windows Start Menu for 'Tecnomatix Plant Simulation' or look in typical installation paths such as C:\Program Files\Siemens\Tecnomatix_Plant_Simulation or C:\Program Files (x86)\Siemens\Tecnomatix_Plant_Simulation. The version is often visible in the application name folder or in the executable properties.Affected if The application is installed in any location
-
Identify installed version numberRight-click the Plant Simulation executable (e.g., Plant_Simulation.exe) in the installation folder, select Properties, and check the Details tab for 'File version' or 'Product version'. Alternatively, open the application and navigate to Help > About to view the exact version string.Affected if Version cannot be determined or is not visible
-
Compare version against affected rangesReview the version identified in Step 2. The affected versions are: V2201 versions prior to 2201.0008 (meaning 2201.0000 through 2201.0007), and V2302 versions prior to 2302.0002 (meaning 2302.0000 and 2302.0001). If your version falls into either of these ranges, you are using an affected version.Affected if Version matches 2201.x (where x < 8) or 2302.x (where x < 2)
-
Verify IGS file parsing capability is presentAttempt to import or open an IGS file within Plant Simulation. This is typically done via File > Import > IGS or File > Open with .igs extension. The vulnerability triggers when the application parses a specially crafted IGS file.Affected if The application can import or open IGS files
You are affected if your installed Tecnomatix Plant Simulation version is V2201.x where x is less than 8, or V2302.x where x is less than 2, and the application has the ability to parse IGS files (which is a built-in feature in affected versions).
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.
dbcve · scoped2201.00082302.0002
Apply vendor-supplied patches: upgrade to V2201.0008 or later for Plant Simulation V2201, or V2302.0002 or later for V2302.
V2201.0008 (for V2201 branch) or V2302.0002 (for V2302 branch)
- 1. Identify the currently installed Tecnomatix Plant Simulation version by checking the About or Help > Version Information menu
- 2. If using V2201 branch: upgrade to version V2201.0008 or later
- 3. If using V2302 branch: upgrade to version V2302.0002 or later
- 4. Verify the upgrade was successful by checking the version again
- 5. Avoid opening untrusted IGS files until the upgrade is applied
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,840.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-38681 — 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-2023-38681 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
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
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.
- 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