CVE-2025-1651 is a high-severity heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified in Autodesk AutoCAD versions 2022 through 2025. The vulnerability arises when AutoCAD parses a maliciously crafted MODEL file, which can trigger a heap overflow condition. This type of vulnerability (CWE-122) occurs when a program writes more data to a buffer located on the heap than it is allocated to hold, potentially overwriting adjacent memory. Exploiting this flaw allows an attacker to cause a denial of service (application crash), read sensitive memory contents, or execute arbitrary code within the context of the AutoCAD process. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 reflects a high severity, with an attack vector requiring local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but user interaction is necessary (UI:R). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high, as the attacker can gain code execution capabilities, potentially leading to full compromise of the affected system. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that remediation may still be pending or in progress. The vulnerability was reserved in late February 2025 and published in March 2025, with enrichment from CISA, highlighting its recognized importance. Given AutoCAD's widespread use in engineering, architecture, and design sectors, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially in environments where MODEL files are shared or imported from external or untrusted sources.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-1651 could be substantial, particularly for industries reliant on AutoCAD for critical design and engineering workflows such as construction, manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, and infrastructure development. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive intellectual property, disruption of design processes through application crashes, or full system compromise if arbitrary code execution is achieved. This could result in operational downtime, financial losses, and damage to reputation. Additionally, given the high confidentiality impact, sensitive design data could be exfiltrated, potentially affecting competitive advantage and compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR. The requirement for local access and user interaction suggests that phishing or social engineering tactics could be used to trick users into opening malicious MODEL files, increasing the risk in environments with less stringent file handling policies. The absence of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive defense, but the high severity score necessitates urgent attention.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should implement a multi-layered approach: 1) Restrict and monitor the sources of MODEL files, ensuring files are only accepted from trusted and verified origins. 2) Educate users, especially those in design and engineering roles, about the risks of opening MODEL files from unknown or untrusted sources and train them to recognize phishing attempts. 3) Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to isolate AutoCAD processes and limit the impact of potential exploitation. 4) Monitor AutoCAD application behavior and system logs for unusual activity indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unexpected crashes or memory access violations. 5) Coordinate with Autodesk for timely patch deployment once available and test patches in controlled environments before widespread rollout. 6) Consider implementing network segmentation to isolate design workstations from critical infrastructure and sensitive data repositories. 7) Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of detecting heap overflow exploitation techniques and anomalous process behavior. These targeted measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific attack vector and operational context of AutoCAD usage.