CVE-2022-34874 in Foxit
Summary
by MITRE • 07/18/2022
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to disclose sensitive information on affected installations of Foxit PDF Reader 11.2.2.53575. 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 handling of Doc objects. By performing actions in JavaScript, an attacker can trigger 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-17474.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/06/2022
This vulnerability in Foxit PDF Reader 11.2.2.53575 represents a critical information disclosure flaw that enables remote attackers to access sensitive data through improper handling of Document objects within the PDF parsing engine. The vulnerability specifically manifests during JavaScript execution within PDF documents, where an attacker can manipulate object boundaries to read memory beyond allocated buffer limits. This type of flaw falls under the category of buffer over-read conditions that can expose confidential information stored in adjacent memory locations, potentially including user credentials, system paths, or other sensitive operational data. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-125: "Out-of-bounds Read" which directly impacts the memory safety of the application's document processing capabilities.
The exploitation requires user interaction through either visiting a malicious webpage that loads a crafted PDF or opening a malicious file, making this a client-side attack vector that leverages social engineering tactics. When a user interacts with the malicious content, JavaScript code within the PDF document triggers the memory access violation by performing operations that cause the application to read beyond the intended object boundaries. This read past the end of an allocated object condition allows attackers to potentially access uninitialized memory regions that may contain remnants of previously processed data, session tokens, or other sensitive information. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203: "Exploitation for Client Execution" and T1059.007: "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript," demonstrating how attackers can leverage PDF-based attack surfaces to execute malicious code through legitimate scripting environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a potential pathway for more sophisticated attacks. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can leverage the read past the end condition as a stepping stone to achieve arbitrary code execution within the context of the current process. This capability represents a significant escalation from information disclosure to full system compromise, as the attacker can potentially manipulate the application's execution flow or inject malicious code into the running process. The vulnerability's presence in the document object handling code means that any PDF processing activity could potentially be exploited, affecting not just the initial document opening but also any subsequent operations involving document manipulation or rendering. Organizations using Foxit PDF Reader in enterprise environments face heightened risk as this vulnerability could be exploited to gain unauthorized access to sensitive documents and potentially establish persistent access to user systems.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of the Foxit PDF Reader application to the latest version that addresses this vulnerability. System administrators should implement strict content filtering and sandboxing measures for PDF documents, particularly those received from untrusted sources. Network security controls should include deep packet inspection for PDF content and web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious PDF files. User education regarding the risks of opening PDF files from unknown sources remains critical, as the vulnerability requires user interaction to exploit. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing privileged access management controls and monitoring for unusual PDF processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of memory safety in document processing applications and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of PDF rendering engines. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to PDF-based attacks and maintain updated threat intelligence on similar vulnerabilities in PDF processing software. Implementation of defense-in-depth strategies including endpoint detection and response solutions can help identify exploitation attempts before they result in successful breaches.