---
title: "Critical Vulnerabilities in Siemens Simcenter Femap & Nastran: Patch Now"
short_title: "Siemens Simcenter Femap and Nastran critical flaws"
description: "Six high-severity vulnerabilities in Siemens Simcenter Femap and Nastran could lead to crashes or arbitrary code execution. Update to V2512+ immediately."
author: "Vitus"
date: 2023-10-30
categories: [Cybersecurity, Vulnerabilities]
tags: [siemens, cve-2026-23715, nastran, femap, buffer-overflow]
score: 0.85
cve_ids: [CVE-2026-23715, CVE-2026-23716, CVE-2026-23717, CVE-2026-23718, CVE-2026-23719, CVE-2026-23720]
---
TL;DR
Siemens Simcenter Femap and Nastran are affected by six high-severity file parsing vulnerabilities (CVSS 7.8) that could crash applications or enable arbitrary code execution. Users must update to V2512 or later and avoid opening untrusted NDB or XDB files to mitigate risks. These flaws impact critical manufacturing sectors worldwide.
---
Main Content
Introduction
Siemens has disclosed six critical vulnerabilities in its Simcenter Femap and Simcenter Nastran software, widely used in critical manufacturing for finite element analysis and simulation. Exploiting these flaws could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or crash applications by tricking users into opening malicious NDB or XDB files. Siemens has released patches, urging users to update immediately to V2512 or later.
---
Key Points
- Six high-severity vulnerabilities (CVSS 7.8) affect Siemens Simcenter Femap and Nastran.
- Flaws include out-of-bounds writes, out-of-bounds reads, and heap-based buffer overflows.
- Exploitation requires users to open malicious NDB or XDB files, leading to crashes or arbitrary code execution.
- Critical manufacturing sectors worldwide are at risk.
- Siemens has released V2512 to patch all vulnerabilities.
---
Technical Details
The vulnerabilities stem from improper handling of NDB and XDB file formats during parsing. Here’s a breakdown of the flaws:
| CVE ID | Vulnerability Type | Affected File Format | Impact |
|------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| CVE-2026-23715 | Out-of-bounds Write | XDB | Arbitrary code execution |
| CVE-2026-23716 | Out-of-bounds Read | XDB | Arbitrary code execution |
| CVE-2026-23717 | Out-of-bounds Read | XDB | Arbitrary code execution |
| CVE-2026-23718 | Out-of-bounds Read | NDB | Arbitrary code execution |
| CVE-2026-23719 | Heap-based Buffer Overflow | NDB | Arbitrary code execution |
| CVE-2026-23720 | Out-of-bounds Read | NDB | Arbitrary code execution |
All vulnerabilities share the same CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 (High), with the vector:
`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`.
This indicates local exploitation with low attack complexity, requiring user interaction (e.g., opening a malicious file).
---
Affected Systems
The following versions of Siemens Simcenter software are vulnerable:
- Simcenter Femap: Versions prior to V2512
- Simcenter Nastran: Versions prior to V2512
These tools are deployed globally, particularly in critical manufacturing environments.
---
Impact Assessment
#### Potential Consequences
1. Arbitrary Code Execution: Attackers could gain control of affected systems, leading to data theft, sabotage, or lateral movement within networks.
2. Application Crashes: Malicious files could cause denial-of-service (DoS) conditions, disrupting critical simulations and analyses.
3. Supply Chain Risks: Compromised simulations could lead to faulty product designs, posing safety risks in manufacturing.
#### Targeted Sectors
- Critical Manufacturing: Aerospace, automotive, and industrial engineering sectors rely heavily on Simcenter tools for product development.
---
Mitigation Steps
Siemens has provided the following remediation and mitigation strategies:
#### 1. Apply Patches Immediately
- Update Simcenter Femap to V2512 or later: [Download here](https://support.sw.siemens.com/product/275652363/)
- Update Simcenter Nastran to V2512 or later: [Download here](https://support.sw.siemens.com/product/289054037/)
#### 2. Avoid Untrusted Files
- Do not open NDB or XDB files from unverified sources.
- Educate users on phishing risks and the dangers of opening suspicious files.
#### 3. Network Security Best Practices
- Isolate critical systems from business networks using firewalls.
- Minimize network exposure for control system devices.
- Use secure remote access methods like VPNs (ensure they are updated to the latest version).
- Follow Siemens’ [Operational Guidelines for Industrial Security](https://www.siemens.com/cert/operational-guidelines-industrial-security).
#### 4. Monitor for Exploitation
- Implement intrusion detection systems (IDS) to monitor for suspicious activity.
- Report any suspected exploitation to Siemens ProductCERT or CISA.
---
Attack Vector
Attackers exploit these vulnerabilities by:
1. Crafting malicious NDB or XDB files containing exploit code.
2. Tricking users into opening these files via phishing emails, compromised downloads, or social engineering.
3. Executing arbitrary code in the context of the current process, potentially gaining full system control.
---
Conclusion
The discovery of these six high-severity vulnerabilities in Siemens Simcenter Femap and Nastran underscores the critical importance of patch management in industrial environments. Organizations must update to V2512 immediately and enforce strict file-handling policies to mitigate risks. Given the widespread use of these tools in critical manufacturing, unpatched systems could become prime targets for attackers seeking to disrupt operations or steal sensitive data.
For further guidance, consult Siemens’ [Industrial Security Resources](https://www.siemens.com/industrialsecurity) or contact Siemens ProductCERT.
---
References
[^1]: Siemens ProductCERT. "[SSA-965753: Vulnerabilities in Simcenter Femap and Nastran](https://github.com/cisagov/CSAF/blob/develop/csaf_files/OT/white/2026/icsa-26-048-01.json)". Retrieved 2023-10-30.
[^2]: CISA. "[ICSA-26-048-01: Siemens Simcenter Femap and Nastran Vulnerabilities](https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/ics-advisories/icsa-26-048-01)". Retrieved 2023-10-30.
[^3]: MITRE. "[CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/787.html)". Retrieved 2023-10-30.
[^4]: MITRE. "[CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/125.html)". Retrieved 2023-10-30.
[^5]: MITRE. "[CWE-122: Heap-based Buffer Overflow](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/122.html)". Retrieved 2023-10-30.