CVE-2018-1174 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 handling of the bitmapDPI attribute of PrintParams objects. The issue results from the lack of proper initialization of memory prior to accessing it. An attacker can leverage this in conjunction with other vulnerabilities to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-5437.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1174 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within Foxit Reader version 9.0.0.29935 that exposes systems to remote exploitation. This weakness specifically targets the application's handling of bitmapDPI attributes within PrintParams objects, creating a pathway for unauthorized data access that could potentially escalate to full system compromise. The vulnerability requires user interaction to be successfully exploited, meaning that attackers must convince victims to visit malicious web pages or open compromised files, making it particularly dangerous in social engineering campaigns where user trust can be manipulated to facilitate exploitation.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper memory initialization within the PrintParams object processing logic. When Foxit Reader encounters a PrintParams object containing a bitmapDPI attribute, the application fails to properly initialize memory before accessing it, leading to information disclosure through memory leaks or uninitialized data exposure. This memory management flaw aligns with CWE-457: Use of Uninitialized Variable, which specifically addresses scenarios where programs access variables that have not been properly initialized, potentially exposing sensitive data from adjacent memory locations. The uninitialized memory access creates a predictable pattern of data leakage that can reveal system information, application state, or potentially sensitive user data that was previously stored in the affected memory regions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can serve as a foundational weakness that enables more sophisticated attacks when combined with other vulnerabilities present in the system. Attackers can leverage this information disclosure to gather intelligence about the target environment, potentially identifying system configurations, memory layouts, or application states that would facilitate subsequent exploitation attempts. This vulnerability particularly threatens enterprise environments where Foxit Reader is widely deployed, as it could provide attackers with insights that help in crafting more effective attacks against other system components or users within the same network environment. The combination of this vulnerability with other exploits could potentially lead to privilege escalation or code execution within the context of the current process, representing a significant escalation from the initial information disclosure.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including user education about avoiding suspicious web content and email attachments, along with prompt application updates from Foxit to address this vulnerability. Organizations should also consider network-based mitigations such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious content targeting this specific flaw. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management practices in security-critical applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Windows Scripting, where information disclosure vulnerabilities can be leveraged to gather system information before executing more sophisticated attacks. Additionally, this vulnerability highlights the necessity of input validation and proper initialization of all application variables, particularly when handling user-provided data in document processing applications. Regular security assessments of document reader applications should include memory safety checks to identify similar uninitialized variable vulnerabilities that could pose similar risks to system security.