CVE-2024-47196
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 ModelSim (All versions < V2025.2), Questa (All versions < V2025.2). vsimk.exe in affected applications allows a specific tcl file to be loaded from the current working directory. This could allow an authenticated local attacker to inject arbitrary code and escalate privileges in installations where administrators or processes with elevated privileges launch vsimk.exe from a user-writable directory.
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 confidencevsimk.exe in ModelSim and Questa loads a specific Tcl file from the current working directory instead of a secure, absolute path. An authenticated local attacker with write access to the directory from which vsimk.exe is launched can place a malicious Tcl file that will be executed with the privileges of the user running the application, enabling code injection and privilege escalation.
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< 2024.3< 2024.3CVSS 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
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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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Locate vsimk.exe on the systemSearch for vsimk.exe in common installation directories such as C:\Mentor\, C:\modeltech_se\, or C:\questasim\. Use command: dir /s /b C:\vsimk.exe 2>nul or search in Program Files directories.Affected if vsimk.exe is found on the system and the installed version is below 2024.3
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Identify the installed ModelSim or Questa versionCheck the vsimk.exe file properties (right-click, Properties, Details tab) for the version number, or look for a version file in the installation directory. Common paths: C:\modeltech_se\win32\vsimk.exe or C:\questasim\win32\vsimk.exeAffected if The displayed version is lower than 2024.3 (for example, 2023.1, 2023.4, etc.)
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Determine the typical launch directory for vsimk.exeReview where users typically run vsimk.exe from. Check desktop shortcuts, start menu entries, or scripts that launch the application. Note the 'Start in' field of any shortcuts.Affected if vsimk.exe is launched from a directory where untrusted users have write permissions (such as shared folders, user-download directories, or network drives)
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Verify if a malicious Tcl file could be placed in the launch directoryInspect the permissions on directories from which vsimk.exe is commonly launched. Use icacls command on the typical working directory to check if write access is granted to users other than the owner.Affected if Users other than the owner can write files to the directory from which vsimk.exe is launched
You are affected if vsimk.exe is installed with a version lower than 2024.3 AND the application can be launched from a directory where untrusted users have write access, allowing them to place a malicious Tcl file.
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 · scoped2024.3
Ensure vsimk.exe is launched only from trusted, non-user-writable directories and avoid launching from directories where untrusted users have write access. Update to V2025.2 or later when available.
V2024.3 or later (V2025.2 recommended per official description)
- 1. Identify the current installed version of ModelSim or Questa by checking the application or running 'vsim -version'
- 2. Download the fixed version (V2024.3 or later, V2025.2 recommended based on official description) from the official vendor portal or Siemens cert-portal.siemens.com
- 3. Install the updated version following standard vendor installation procedures
- 4. Verify the installation by running 'vsim -version' to confirm the patched version is installed
- 5. Ensure that vsimk.exe is launched from a trusted, non-user-writable directory to avoid any residual risk
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing1.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2024-47196 — 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-2024-47196 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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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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