CVE-2025-5047 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in Autodesk AutoCAD 2026, specifically involving the parsing of DGN files. The root cause is the use of an uninitialized variable (CWE-457) during the processing of maliciously crafted DGN files. When AutoCAD parses such a file, the uninitialized variable can be exploited by an attacker to trigger undefined behavior, which may lead to a crash (denial of service), unauthorized reading of sensitive memory contents, or even arbitrary code execution within the context of the AutoCAD process. The vulnerability requires local access to a crafted DGN file and some user interaction to open or import the file. The CVSS v3.1 score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity, no privileges required, but user interaction necessary. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches have been published yet. The vulnerability is significant because AutoCAD is widely used in engineering, architecture, and construction industries, where sensitive design data and intellectual property are handled. Exploitation could allow attackers to compromise systems, steal proprietary designs, or disrupt operations by crashing the software or executing malicious payloads.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-5047 could be substantial, especially for those in sectors heavily reliant on AutoCAD such as manufacturing, civil engineering, architecture, and infrastructure development. Confidentiality breaches could expose sensitive design documents and intellectual property, leading to competitive disadvantage or regulatory compliance issues under GDPR if personal data is indirectly exposed. Integrity violations could result in corrupted design files, potentially causing costly errors in construction or manufacturing processes. Availability impacts through crashes could disrupt workflows and project timelines. Given AutoCAD’s integration in critical infrastructure projects and industrial design, successful exploitation could also have downstream effects on supply chains and operational continuity. The requirement for user interaction means social engineering or phishing could be vectors to deliver malicious DGN files, increasing risk. Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the high severity and potential for code execution warrant proactive measures.

European organizations should implement several targeted mitigations: 1) Restrict AutoCAD file handling to trusted sources only; implement strict controls on receiving and opening DGN files, including email filtering and endpoint security scanning for suspicious files. 2) Educate users on the risks of opening unsolicited or unexpected DGN files, emphasizing verification of file origin. 3) Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to limit the impact of potential exploitation, isolating AutoCAD processes where feasible. 4) Monitor AutoCAD application behavior for anomalies such as crashes or unusual memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. 5) Maintain up-to-date backups of critical design files to recover from potential data corruption or ransomware attacks. 6) Engage with Autodesk for timely patch deployment once available and track security advisories closely. 7) Consider network segmentation to limit lateral movement if a workstation is compromised via this vulnerability. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on file trust validation, user awareness, and containment strategies specific to AutoCAD’s operational context.