CVE-2022-42943 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability affecting multiple legacy versions of Autodesk Design Review (2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, and 2018). The vulnerability arises when the application processes a specially crafted DWF or .PCT file, leading to a read access violation that corrupts memory. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), indicating that the application improperly handles memory boundaries during file parsing. While the immediate impact is memory corruption, the vulnerability can be chained with other exploits to achieve arbitrary code execution within the context of the current user process. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 reflects a high severity, with an attack vector limited to local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but requiring user interaction (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). No known public exploits have been reported in the wild as of the published date (October 21, 2022), and no official patches are currently linked, indicating that affected organizations may still be vulnerable if they continue to use these outdated versions. Autodesk Design Review is a specialized tool used primarily for viewing and annotating design files, commonly in engineering, architecture, and manufacturing sectors. The vulnerability's exploitation requires a user to open a maliciously crafted file, making social engineering or phishing a likely attack vector. Given the legacy nature of the affected versions, many organizations may have moved to newer software or alternative solutions, but those still relying on these versions remain at risk.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-42943 can be significant, especially within industries that rely heavily on Autodesk Design Review for design collaboration and review, such as automotive, aerospace, construction, and manufacturing sectors. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges, move laterally within networks, or exfiltrate sensitive intellectual property related to design and engineering projects. This could result in operational disruptions, loss of competitive advantage, and exposure of proprietary data. The requirement for user interaction (opening a malicious file) means that targeted spear-phishing campaigns could be effective, increasing risk to organizations with less mature cybersecurity awareness programs. Additionally, the lack of available patches means organizations must rely on compensating controls, which may not fully mitigate the risk. The high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability underscores the potential for severe business consequences, including downtime and reputational damage. Given the strategic importance of design data in European industries, exploitation could also have downstream effects on supply chains and critical infrastructure projects.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on restricting the use of affected Autodesk Design Review versions (2011-2018) and encouraging migration to the latest supported software versions that may have addressed this vulnerability. 2. Implement strict file handling policies that block or quarantine unsolicited DWF and .PCT files from untrusted sources, especially in email and file-sharing platforms. 3. Enhance user awareness training to recognize and avoid opening suspicious or unexpected design files, emphasizing the risk of social engineering attacks. 4. Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to limit the execution context of DesignReview.exe, reducing the potential impact of exploitation. 5. Monitor endpoint behavior for unusual activity related to DesignReview.exe, including anomalous memory usage or unexpected network connections, to detect potential exploitation attempts. 6. Network segmentation should be used to isolate systems running Autodesk Design Review from critical infrastructure and sensitive data repositories. 7. Regularly review and update antivirus and endpoint detection and response (EDR) signatures to detect known exploitation patterns, even though no public exploits are currently reported. 8. Engage with Autodesk support or security advisories for any forthcoming patches or official guidance and apply them promptly once available.