CVE-2022-42937 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability affecting multiple versions of Autodesk Design Review, specifically versions 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, and 2018. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of specially crafted .dwf or .pct files when opened by the DesignReview.exe application. This leads to a write access violation, a form of memory corruption categorized under CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write). Exploiting this flaw could allow an attacker to corrupt memory in a way that, especially when combined with other vulnerabilities, might enable arbitrary code execution within the context of the current process. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, indicating a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vector details show that the attack requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), and low privileges (PR:L), but no user interaction (UI:N) is needed once the malicious file is opened. The vulnerability is not known to be exploited in the wild as of the published date, and no official patches or fixes have been linked yet. Autodesk Design Review is a widely used application for viewing and annotating design files, particularly in engineering, architecture, and construction sectors. The vulnerability's exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges, execute malicious payloads, or disrupt operations by crashing the application or system components.

For European organizations, especially those in engineering, architecture, construction, and manufacturing sectors that rely on Autodesk Design Review for design collaboration and review, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive intellectual property contained in design files, disruption of project workflows, and potential compromise of internal networks if attackers leverage this vulnerability as a foothold. The requirement for local access and low privileges means insider threats or attackers who can trick users into opening malicious files could exploit this flaw. Given the high confidentiality and integrity impact, organizations could face data breaches, loss of proprietary designs, and operational downtime. Additionally, the lack of a patch increases the window of exposure, necessitating immediate mitigation to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability's presence in multiple older versions suggests that organizations running legacy software are particularly vulnerable, which is common in sectors with long project lifecycles.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on restricting the use of Autodesk Design Review to trusted users and environments, minimizing exposure to untrusted .dwf or .pct files. 2. Implement strict file validation and scanning policies at email gateways and file transfer points to detect and block maliciously crafted files before they reach end users. 3. Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to isolate DesignReview.exe processes, limiting the potential impact of exploitation. 4. Encourage users to avoid opening design files from unverified sources and provide training on recognizing suspicious files. 5. Monitor systems running Autodesk Design Review for unusual behavior or crashes that may indicate exploitation attempts. 6. Since no official patches are available, consider upgrading to newer versions of Autodesk software if they are not affected or have fixes. 7. Coordinate with Autodesk support channels for updates or workarounds and subscribe to vulnerability advisories for timely patch releases. 8. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting memory corruption exploits and anomalous process behaviors related to DesignReview.exe. 9. Regularly back up critical design files and maintain incident response plans tailored to software exploitation scenarios.