CVE-2019-6983 in 3D Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Foxit 3D Plugin Beta before 9.4.0.16807 for Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF. The application could encounter an Integer Overflow and crash during the handling of certain PDF files that embed specifically crafted 3D content, because of a free of valid memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-6983 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the Foxit 3D Plugin Beta component of Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF applications. This security weakness affects versions prior to 9.4.0.16807 and stems from improper validation of 3D content embedded within PDF documents. The flaw manifests when the application processes specially crafted 3D data structures that trigger an integer overflow condition during memory allocation operations. This particular vulnerability falls under the CWE-190 category of Integer Overflow or Wraparound, which is a well-documented class of vulnerabilities where arithmetic operations exceed the maximum value that can be represented by the target data type.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs during the handling of 3D content within PDF files, where the Foxit 3D Plugin fails to properly validate the size parameters of embedded 3D models before attempting memory allocation. When encountering malformed 3D data structures, the plugin performs arithmetic operations that result in integer overflow, causing the application to allocate an incorrect amount of memory. This memory management error leads to a heap-based buffer overflow condition where the application attempts to write beyond allocated memory boundaries, ultimately resulting in an application crash. The vulnerability specifically exploits the free of valid memory condition, where the plugin incorrectly handles memory deallocation and reallocation processes during 3D content rendering.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-6983 extends beyond simple application instability, as it presents a potential vector for denial-of-service attacks that could disrupt business operations in environments heavily reliant on PDF document processing. Organizations utilizing Foxit Reader or PhantomPDF for document management, legal proceedings, engineering design reviews, or academic research may experience unexpected application shutdowns when processing legitimate PDF files containing maliciously crafted 3D content. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond opening a specially crafted PDF document, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may encounter untrusted documents from external sources. This flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries leverage application vulnerabilities to execute malicious code or cause system instability.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate software updates to Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF versions 9.4.0.16807 or later, which contain patches addressing the integer overflow condition in the 3D plugin component. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management policies to ensure all instances of the affected software are updated promptly, particularly in enterprise environments where multiple users may be exposed to potentially malicious documents. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict PDF file validation procedures, deploying sandboxing solutions for document processing, and establishing user awareness programs to prevent opening suspicious PDF attachments. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in PDF processing applications, reinforcing the need for regular security assessments of document handling components within enterprise software suites. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for potential exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability class.