CVE-2024-9996 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in Autodesk AutoCAD versions 2022 through 2025. The flaw exists in the acdb25.dll component responsible for parsing DWG files, the native file format used by AutoCAD. Specifically, the vulnerability is an Out-of-Bounds Write (CWE-787), which occurs when a maliciously crafted DWG file is processed. This memory corruption flaw can lead to several adverse outcomes: application crashes, data corruption, or potentially arbitrary code execution within the context of the AutoCAD process. The vulnerability requires the user to open or otherwise parse a specially crafted DWG file, indicating that user interaction is necessary. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting a high severity due to the combination of local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), required user interaction (UI:R), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability’s characteristics make it a significant risk, especially in environments where AutoCAD is used to handle untrusted or externally sourced DWG files. The absence of published patches at the time of disclosure further elevates the risk profile, necessitating immediate attention from affected users and organizations.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be substantial, particularly for industries relying heavily on AutoCAD for design and engineering workflows, such as architecture, construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure development. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, enabling attackers to gain control over affected systems, steal sensitive design data, disrupt operations through crashes or data corruption, and potentially move laterally within corporate networks. Given the critical nature of design files and intellectual property in these sectors, confidentiality breaches could result in significant financial and reputational damage. Additionally, disruption of availability due to crashes or corrupted files could delay project timelines and increase operational costs. The requirement for user interaction (opening a malicious DWG file) suggests that phishing or social engineering campaigns could be used to deliver the payload, increasing the risk in environments where employees handle external files without strict validation. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the high severity score indicates that the threat should be treated with urgency.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should implement a multi-layered approach: 1) Restrict the opening of DWG files from untrusted or unknown sources by enforcing strict file handling policies and user awareness training focused on phishing and social engineering risks. 2) Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques for AutoCAD to limit the impact of potential exploitation and prevent unauthorized code execution. 3) Monitor and control the use of AutoCAD through endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 4) Regularly back up critical design files and maintain version control to recover quickly from data corruption incidents. 5) Engage with Autodesk and subscribe to their security advisories to promptly apply patches once available. 6) Consider network segmentation to isolate systems running AutoCAD, reducing the risk of lateral movement in case of compromise. 7) Implement file integrity monitoring on directories storing DWG files to detect unauthorized modifications. These targeted measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific attack vector and operational context of AutoCAD usage.