CVE-2018-9982 in Foxit
Summary
by MITRE
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code 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 the Texture Width in U3D files. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in a write past the end of an allocated object. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code under the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-5483.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9982 represents a critical remote code execution flaw affecting Foxit Reader version 9.0.0.29935 and potentially other versions within the same product line. This security weakness stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the application's processing of Universal 3D (U3D) files, specifically during the parsing of Texture Width parameters. The vulnerability operates under the CWE-125 weakness category, which encompasses out-of-bounds read/write conditions that occur when software fails to properly validate array indices or buffer boundaries. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting malicious U3D files that contain malformed Texture Width values, leading to memory corruption during file processing. The vulnerability requires user interaction to be successfully exploited, meaning that targets must either visit a malicious webpage hosting the vulnerable file or open the crafted U3D document directly, making this a typical client-side attack vector that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through improper bounds checking during U3D file parsing operations within Foxit Reader's rendering engine. When the application encounters a U3D file with manipulated Texture Width values, it fails to validate whether the specified dimensions fall within acceptable ranges for the allocated memory buffers. This oversight creates a condition where the application attempts to write data beyond the boundaries of allocated memory regions, resulting in a classic buffer overflow scenario. The memory corruption occurs in the context of the currently running process, which means that successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Foxit Reader application. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the application level, bypassing many traditional network-based security controls and potentially enabling full system compromise when combined with other attack techniques.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-9982 extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with a pathway to establish persistent access to vulnerable systems. The vulnerability's requirement for user interaction makes it susceptible to social engineering campaigns, where attackers might craft convincing phishing emails or malicious websites to deliver the exploit payload. Once successfully exploited, the attacker gains the ability to execute commands on the target system, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system reconnaissance, or deployment of additional malware. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on Foxit Reader for document viewing, particularly those in sectors where PDF and 3D document processing is common, such as engineering, architecture, and publishing industries. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of validating all user-supplied data, especially in applications that process complex binary formats, as highlighted by the ATT&CK framework's emphasis on input validation and memory safety practices.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through official security updates provided by Foxit Corporation, as the vendor has released patches addressing this specific vulnerability. System administrators should implement network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to block access to known malicious U3D file hosting sites. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the dangers of opening unexpected files from untrusted sources, particularly in email attachments or web downloads. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts using network traffic analysis and endpoint detection systems that can identify suspicious file parsing activities. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of keeping software up to date and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that combine multiple security controls to protect against various attack vectors. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unauthorized software and reduce the attack surface for similar vulnerabilities.