CVE-2020-17410 in PhantomPDF
Summary
by MITRE • 10/14/2020
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Foxit PhantomPDF 10.0.0.35798. 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 GIF files. 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-11135.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-17410 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within Foxit PhantomPDF version 10.0.0.35798 that demonstrates the dangerous consequences of improper input validation in document processing applications. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-476 category of Null Pointer Dereference, where the software fails to validate the existence of an object before attempting operations on it. The flaw specifically manifests during the parsing of GIF image files, which are commonly embedded within PDF documents, making this attack vector particularly insidious as it can be triggered through routine PDF document interactions. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries leverage application vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code on targeted systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the GIF file parsing component of the PhantomPDF application. When processing maliciously crafted GIF files, the application attempts to perform operations on objects that may not have been properly initialized or validated, leading to a null pointer dereference condition. This fundamental flaw in object lifecycle management creates an opportunity for attackers to manipulate the application's execution flow and inject malicious code. The vulnerability requires user interaction to be exploited, typically through visiting a malicious webpage or opening a compromised PDF document containing the malicious GIF payload, which aligns with the common exploitation patterns described in the ATT&CK framework for phishing and social engineering attacks. The attack surface is significantly expanded due to the widespread use of PDF documents in business environments, where users frequently open documents from untrusted sources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it allows attackers to operate within the security context of the currently running PhantomPDF process. This privilege escalation capability means that malicious code can potentially access sensitive data, modify documents, or establish persistence mechanisms within the victim's system. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may inadvertently encounter malicious content through email attachments, web downloads, or shared network drives. The fact that this vulnerability was tracked as ZDI-CAN-11135 indicates it was recognized by the Zero Day Initiative and likely had a significant impact on organizations relying on Foxit's PDF processing capabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates how image processing components within document viewers can serve as attack vectors, highlighting the need for comprehensive input validation and secure coding practices throughout all application modules.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Foxit, deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts, and implementing user education programs to reduce the risk of successful social engineering attacks. The vulnerability underscores the importance of input validation and defensive programming practices, particularly in applications that process untrusted content from external sources. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict the execution of unauthorized code and monitor for unusual file processing activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. The incident highlights the critical need for regular security assessments of document processing applications and the importance of maintaining up-to-date threat intelligence to identify and respond to similar vulnerabilities in other software components.