CVE-2024-52567: Siemens Tecnomatix Plant Simulation RCE

CVE-2024-52567 Overview

CVE-2024-52567 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability affecting Siemens Teamcenter Visualization and Tecnomatix Plant Simulation. The flaw resides in the WRL file parser, which reads past the end of an allocated structure when processing specially crafted Virtual Reality Modeling Language (WRL) files. An attacker who convinces a user to open a malicious WRL file can trigger memory corruption and execute code in the context of the current process. The issue is tracked under Zero Day Initiative advisory ZDI-CAN-24237 and is classified as [CWE-125].

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution in the context of the affected application, compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the workstation.

Affected Products

Teamcenter Visualization V14.2 (all versions before V14.2.0.14), V14.3 (before V14.3.0.12), V2312 (before V2312.0008), and V2406 (before V2406.0005)
Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2302 (all versions before V2302.0018)
Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2404 (all versions before V2404.0007)

Discovery Timeline

2024-11-18 - CVE-2024-52567 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-52567

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is an out-of-bounds read [CWE-125] in the WRL file parser used by Teamcenter Visualization and Tecnomatix Plant Simulation. When the parser processes a malformed WRL scene file, it reads memory past the end of an allocated buffer or structure. This condition can leak adjacent memory contents and, depending on how the read data is subsequently used, corrupt control flow. Siemens documents the issue in Siemens Security Advisory SSA-824503 and Siemens Security Advisory SSA-645131.

Exploitation requires user interaction. A victim must open an attacker-supplied WRL file in a vulnerable version of the application. The attack vector is local, but the file can be delivered through email, shared drives, or supply-chain channels typical of engineering workflows.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing bounds validation while parsing structured elements inside a WRL file. The parser trusts length or index fields from the file and dereferences memory beyond the allocated structure. There is no verified public patch diff available, so exact function names are not disclosed here. See the Siemens advisories for component-level details.

Attack Vector

The attacker crafts a WRL file that violates expected structure layout. The file is delivered to an engineer or CAD user, who opens it in Teamcenter Visualization or Tecnomatix Plant Simulation. The malformed data triggers the out-of-bounds read, which the attacker uses to execute code in the process context of the current user.

// No verified public proof-of-concept is available.
// The vulnerability is triggered by opening a specially crafted WRL
// (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) file in an affected application.
// See Siemens SSA-824503 and SSA-645131 for advisory details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-52567

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected crashes or hangs of TcVis.exe or PlantSimulation.exe shortly after a user opens a .wrl file
WRL files arriving from untrusted email senders, external shares, or unknown project sources
Child processes spawned from Teamcenter Visualization or Tecnomatix Plant Simulation that are inconsistent with normal engineering workflows

Detection Strategies

Monitor process creation events where Teamcenter Visualization or Tecnomatix Plant Simulation launches command interpreters such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or wscript.exe
Correlate .wrl file access events with subsequent memory access violations, Windows Error Reporting entries, or module loads from user-writable paths
Alert on outbound network connections initiated by the Siemens application processes after opening a WRL file

Monitoring Recommendations

Ingest endpoint process, file, and module-load telemetry from workstations running Siemens engineering software into a centralized data lake
Track version inventory of Teamcenter Visualization and Tecnomatix Plant Simulation to identify hosts below the patched builds
Enable crash telemetry collection to detect exploitation attempts that fail to achieve code execution

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-52567

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Teamcenter Visualization to V14.2.0.14, V14.3.0.12, V2312.0008, or V2406.0005 or later, matching the installed release train
Upgrade Tecnomatix Plant Simulation to V2302.0018 or V2404.0007 or later
Restrict opening of WRL files to trusted, verified sources only, and block WRL attachments at the email gateway when feasible

Patch Information

Siemens has released fixed versions for all affected products. Refer to Siemens Security Advisory SSA-824503 for Teamcenter Visualization and Siemens Security Advisory SSA-645131 for Tecnomatix Plant Simulation guidance and download instructions.

Workarounds

Avoid opening WRL files from untrusted or unverified sources until patching is complete
Apply the operational and network-hardening guidance in Siemens' ProductCERT operational guidelines for industrial security
Run affected applications under standard user accounts, not administrative accounts, to limit post-exploitation impact

bash

# Example: block .wrl attachments at an SMTP gateway (Postfix header_checks)
/name=[^\.]*\.wrl/  REJECT WRL attachments blocked pending CVE-2024-52567 remediation