CVE-2025-1650 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in Autodesk AutoCAD versions 2022 through 2025. The root cause is a use of an uninitialized variable (CWE-457) triggered when AutoCAD parses a specially crafted CATPRODUCT file. This flaw allows an attacker to manipulate the parsing process to cause memory corruption. The consequences of exploiting this vulnerability include application crashes (denial of service), unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information from memory, or potentially arbitrary code execution within the context of the AutoCAD process. The vulnerability requires the victim to open or otherwise process a malicious CATPRODUCT file, which means some user interaction is necessary. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity, no privileges required, but user interaction needed. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and enriched by CISA, indicating it is recognized as a significant risk. The lack of available patches at the time of disclosure increases the urgency for mitigation. Given AutoCAD’s widespread use in engineering, architecture, and design, this vulnerability poses a serious threat to organizations relying on these workflows.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-1650 can be substantial. AutoCAD is extensively used across multiple sectors including construction, manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, and infrastructure development. Exploitation could lead to operational disruption through application crashes, leakage of proprietary design data, or full compromise of systems running AutoCAD. This is particularly critical for firms handling sensitive intellectual property or government contracts involving classified or regulated designs. The ability to execute arbitrary code could allow attackers to move laterally within networks, escalate privileges, or deploy ransomware. Given the reliance on AutoCAD in critical infrastructure projects and industrial design, the vulnerability could also affect supply chain security and national infrastructure resilience in Europe. The requirement for user interaction means phishing or social engineering campaigns could be used to deliver malicious CATPRODUCT files, increasing the attack surface.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on user awareness and restricting the handling of CATPRODUCT files from untrusted sources. Implement strict email and file filtering policies to block or quarantine suspicious CAD files. 2. Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to isolate AutoCAD processes and limit the impact of potential exploitation. 3. Monitor network and endpoint activity for unusual behavior related to AutoCAD, such as unexpected crashes or memory access patterns. 4. Coordinate with Autodesk for timely patch deployment once available; prioritize patching in environments with high exposure. 5. Implement robust backup and recovery procedures for CAD data to mitigate the impact of potential ransomware or data corruption. 6. Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect exploitation attempts and enable rapid incident response. 7. Consider disabling or restricting the use of CATPRODUCT file imports if not essential to business operations until patches are applied.