CVE-2018-10492 in Foxit
Summary
by MITRE
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to disclose sensitive information on vulnerable installations of Foxit Reader 9.0.0.29935. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the parsing of U3D Clod Progressive Mesh Continuation structures. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in a read past the end of an allocated object. An attacker can leverage this in conjunction with other vulnerabilities to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-5424.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2020
CVE-2018-10492 represents a critical information disclosure vulnerability affecting Foxit Reader version 9.0.0.29935 that enables remote attackers to extract sensitive data through crafted U3D Clod Progressive Mesh Continuation structures. This vulnerability operates under the CWE-125 weakness category, specifically addressing out-of-bounds read conditions that occur when processing user-supplied data without adequate validation mechanisms. The flaw manifests during the parsing of 3D mesh continuation structures within Universal 3D files, where the application fails to properly validate the boundaries of allocated memory objects before accessing them.
The vulnerability requires user interaction to be exploited effectively, meaning that targets must either visit a malicious webpage or open a specially crafted malicious file containing the vulnerable U3D structures. This attack vector aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1203, where adversaries leverage user interaction to deliver malicious content. The technical implementation involves the application's failure to perform proper bounds checking on the mesh continuation data, allowing an attacker to manipulate memory access patterns that extend beyond the intended allocated buffer boundaries.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations using Foxit Reader for document processing, particularly in environments where users may encounter untrusted PDF content. The read past the end of an allocated object condition can expose sensitive memory contents including stack data, heap metadata, or other process information that could be leveraged for further exploitation. This vulnerability is particularly concerning as it can serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, potentially enabling privilege escalation or code execution in the context of the current process.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the broader context of memory safety issues and the importance of proper input validation in document processing applications. The flaw demonstrates the critical need for robust bounds checking mechanisms in multimedia parsing components, especially when handling complex 3D structures within document formats. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems and implement network-based protections to prevent access to known malicious content, while also considering the deployment of sandboxing technologies to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ZDI-CAN-5424 highlights its recognition within the security community as requiring urgent remediation efforts.