CVE-2018-17696 in Foxit
Summary
by MITRE
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable installations of Foxit Reader 9.2.0.9297. 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 dataObjects. The issue results from the lack of validating the existence of an object prior to performing operations on the object. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-7169.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/31/2024
CVE-2018-17696 represents a critical buffer overflow vulnerability affecting Foxit Reader version 9.2.0.9297 that enables remote code execution through improper object validation during dataObjects processing. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions where an attacker can access memory locations beyond the intended object boundaries. The flaw occurs when the application fails to validate whether an object exists before performing operations on it, creating a dangerous condition where arbitrary code can be executed within the context of the current process. The vulnerability requires user interaction to be exploited, meaning attackers must entice victims to visit malicious web pages or open compromised files containing specially crafted dataObjects that trigger the vulnerable code path. This attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploiting software vulnerabilities through web-based attacks that require user engagement. The technical implementation involves the application's PDF parsing engine failing to properly validate object references within the dataObjects structure, allowing attackers to manipulate memory layouts and potentially overwrite critical function pointers or execute shellcode directly within the Foxit Reader process. The impact extends beyond simple code execution to potential privilege escalation and system compromise, as the application runs with the privileges of the user who opened the malicious document. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of Foxit Reader installations, as this vulnerability represents a significant risk for enterprises that rely on PDF processing capabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and proper object lifecycle management in document processing applications, particularly those handling untrusted content from external sources.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires careful crafting of malicious PDF files that contain malformed dataObjects structures designed to trigger the out-of-bounds read condition. Attackers can leverage this weakness to inject and execute arbitrary code within the Foxit Reader application context, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw means that attackers can deliver malicious payloads through web-based delivery mechanisms without requiring physical access to the target system. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently access untrusted web content or receive PDF attachments from external sources. The lack of proper validation creates a fundamental security gap in the application's memory management, allowing attackers to manipulate the execution flow and potentially bypass modern security protections such as DEP and ASLR. Organizations implementing security controls should consider network-based detection measures to identify potential exploitation attempts, while also ensuring that all PDF processing applications are kept up to date with the latest security patches. The vulnerability highlights the critical need for robust input validation and defensive programming practices in software applications that process structured data formats like PDFs, where malformed input can lead to catastrophic security consequences. This particular flaw represents a common pattern in document processing software vulnerabilities where improper handling of object references leads to exploitable memory corruption conditions that can be leveraged for full system compromise.