CVE-2025-5037 Overview
CVE-2025-5037 is a memory corruption vulnerability in Autodesk Revit triggered by parsing maliciously crafted RFA, RTE, or RVT files. An attacker can exploit the flaw to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. The issue is classified under [CWE-120] (Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input). Exploitation requires user interaction, typically opening a weaponized Revit project, family, or template file. The vulnerability impacts engineering, architecture, and construction environments that exchange Revit files across teams and external partners.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation enables arbitrary code execution within the Revit process, allowing attackers to compromise design workstations and pivot into enterprise networks.
Affected Products
- Autodesk Revit (see vendor advisory ADSK-SA-2025-0012 for affected version ranges)
- Workstations processing .RFA (Revit Family) files
- Workstations processing .RTE (Revit Template) and .RVT (Revit Project) files
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-07-10 - CVE-2025-5037 published to NVD
- 2025-08-19 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-5037
Vulnerability Analysis
The flaw resides in the file-parsing routines Autodesk Revit uses to deserialize RFA, RTE, and RVT documents. When Revit processes a crafted file, the parser fails to validate the size of input structures before copying data into fixed-size memory buffers. This leads to memory corruption that an attacker can shape to overwrite adjacent data, function pointers, or virtual table entries. With deterministic memory layout control, the attacker redirects execution to attacker-supplied shellcode or to a return-oriented programming (ROP) chain. The result is arbitrary code execution under the privileges of the user running Revit. Because design teams routinely exchange Revit content with consultants, vendors, and contractors, malicious files can enter the environment through legitimate collaboration channels.
Root Cause
The root cause is a buffer-copy operation that omits or improperly enforces size validation on attacker-controlled fields within Revit's proprietary file format. Records embedded in the file can declare sizes that exceed destination buffer capacity, producing out-of-bounds writes during deserialization.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is local and requires user interaction. An attacker delivers a crafted RFA, RTE, or RVT file through email, shared project storage, BIM collaboration platforms, or third-party content libraries. The victim opens the file in Revit, and parsing triggers the memory corruption. No elevated privileges are needed beyond those of the current user.
No public proof-of-concept or in-the-wild exploitation has been reported, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. See the Autodesk Security Advisory ADSK-SA-2025-0012 for technical details and fixed versions.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-5037
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected Revit process crashes or Windows Error Reporting (WER) entries referencing Revit.exe after opening external files.
- Revit.exe spawning unusual child processes such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, rundll32.exe, or wscript.exe.
- Outbound network connections from Revit.exe to untrusted hosts shortly after a file is opened.
- RFA, RTE, or RVT files originating from untrusted email attachments or external file shares with abnormal file sizes or structures.
Detection Strategies
- Hunt for process-lineage anomalies where Revit.exe is the parent of scripting interpreters or LOLBins.
- Correlate file-open events on .rfa, .rte, and .rvt extensions with subsequent suspicious child-process creation or memory-allocation behavior.
- Apply YARA or content inspection on Revit files transiting email gateways and file shares to detect malformed structures.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable command-line and process-creation auditing on engineering workstations running Revit.
- Forward endpoint telemetry, including image loads and module signatures within Revit.exe, to a centralized analytics platform for retrospective hunting.
- Track Revit version inventory across the fleet to confirm patch coverage against ADSK-SA-2025-0012.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-5037
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the Autodesk-released update referenced in ADSK-SA-2025-0012 to all Revit installations.
- Block inbound .rfa, .rte, and .rvt attachments from untrusted senders at the email gateway pending patch deployment.
- Restrict Revit usage to standard user accounts to limit the impact of arbitrary code execution.
Patch Information
Autodesk has published fixed versions in security advisory ADSK-SA-2025-0012. Administrators should review the advisory for the specific Revit release that addresses CVE-2025-5037 and deploy through Autodesk Access or enterprise software distribution tooling. Confirm patch application by verifying installed Revit build numbers against those listed in the advisory.
Workarounds
- Only open Revit files received from trusted, verified sources and validate file provenance through out-of-band channels.
- Open suspect Revit files in an isolated virtual machine or sandboxed environment disconnected from production data.
- Enforce application allowlisting policies that prevent Revit.exe from launching scripting interpreters or unsigned binaries.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
