CVE-2018-9972 in Foxit
Summary
by MITRE
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to disclose sensitive information on vulnerable installations of Foxit Reader 9.0.1.1049. 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 ConvertToPDF_x86.dll. 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 arbitrary code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-5755.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9972 represents a critical information disclosure flaw affecting Foxit Reader version 9.0.1.1049 and potentially other versions within the same release cycle. This security weakness resides within the ConvertToPDF_x86.dll component, which serves as a core library responsible for PDF conversion functionality within the Foxit Reader application. The vulnerability operates through a classic buffer over-read condition that occurs when the application processes specially crafted input data without adequate validation mechanisms. This flaw demonstrates the dangerous consequences of insufficient input sanitization and memory boundary checking in commercial software applications that handle untrusted data from external sources.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires user interaction, meaning that an attacker must successfully convince a target to visit a malicious webpage or open a specially crafted file that triggers the vulnerable code path within ConvertToPDF_x86.dll. This interaction requirement places the vulnerability in the category of client-side attacks that rely on social engineering tactics to achieve initial compromise. The underlying flaw stems from improper validation of user-supplied data, creating a scenario where the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the boundaries of allocated objects, potentially exposing sensitive information from adjacent memory regions. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and represents a fundamental breakdown in memory safety practices within the application's input processing pipeline.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations using Foxit Reader as their primary PDF viewing and editing solution. The ability to read past memory boundaries can potentially expose sensitive data including authentication tokens, session information, or other confidential application state details that may be stored in adjacent memory locations. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can leverage the information disclosure to gain insights into the application's internal workings and potentially use this intelligence to facilitate more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability's classification as a remote attack vector means that exploitation can occur without physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently interact with untrusted web content.
The exploitation chain for this vulnerability typically begins with a malicious website or document that contains crafted input designed to trigger the buffer over-read condition in ConvertToPDF_x86.dll. When the vulnerable application processes this input, it reads beyond allocated memory boundaries, potentially exposing memory contents to the attacker. This information disclosure can then serve as a foundation for more advanced exploitation techniques, including privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability's relationship to the broader ATT&CK framework places it within the information gathering and execution categories, where adversaries first collect intelligence about the target system and then attempt to establish persistent access or execute malicious code. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of a larger attack surface that requires comprehensive security controls including web filtering, application whitelisting, and regular security updates to prevent successful exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-9972 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Foxit Reader installations to the latest available versions that contain fixes for the buffer over-read condition. System administrators should implement network-level controls to restrict access to potentially malicious websites and enforce strict content filtering policies for PDF files. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening untrusted PDF documents and visiting suspicious websites that could contain exploitation payloads. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that include multiple layers of protection. Organizations should also consider implementing application sandboxing techniques to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts and establish monitoring procedures to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation of this or similar vulnerabilities.