CVE-2020-17415 in PhantomPDF
Summary
by MITRE • 10/14/2020
This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Foxit PhantomPDF 10.0.0.35798. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the handling of the configuration files used by the Foxit PhantomPDF Update Service. The issue results from incorrect permissions set on a resource used by the service. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-11308.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical privilege escalation flaw in Foxit PhantomPDF version 10.0.0.35798 that demonstrates how improper access controls in update services can be exploited by local attackers. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper privilege management and specifically relates to weak file permissions that allow unauthorized code execution. The attack vector requires an initial foothold through low-privileged code execution, which then enables exploitation of the update service's configuration file handling mechanism. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning because it leverages legitimate system components to achieve elevated privileges, making detection more challenging.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate permission settings on configuration resources utilized by the Foxit PhantomPDF Update Service. When the update service processes configuration files, it fails to properly validate or enforce access controls on the underlying resources, creating an opportunity for privilege escalation. The vulnerability manifests when the service operates with insufficient security boundaries, allowing a local attacker to manipulate the configuration files or their associated resources. This misconfiguration creates a path where code executed with standard user privileges can be elevated to SYSTEM level access through the service's improper resource handling. The flaw aligns with CWE-276, which addresses incorrect permissions for security-critical resources, and represents a classic case of insufficient access control implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides local attackers with complete system control through privilege escalation. Once exploited, the attacker gains SYSTEM-level privileges, which enables them to perform any action on the compromised system including installing malicious software, modifying system files, accessing all user data, and potentially establishing persistence mechanisms. This vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the entire system, as the attacker can essentially bypass all user-level security controls. The exploitation process requires only local access, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may have legitimate access to systems but should not possess administrative privileges. This scenario commonly occurs in enterprise environments where users need to run PDF applications but should not have system-level access.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the Foxit PhantomPDF application to the latest version that addresses the permission handling issue. System administrators should also implement strict access controls on configuration files and update services, ensuring that only authorized processes can modify critical resources. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by reviewing and restricting permissions on all update service components. Additionally, monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to update service resources and configuration files should be implemented. Organizations should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent unauthorized code execution, and regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar permission misconfigurations in other software components. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper access control implementation in system services and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which addresses privilege escalation through local exploitation of system services.