CVE-2023-51553 in Foxit
Summary
by MITRE • 05/03/2024
Foxit PDF Reader Bookmark Out-Of-Bounds Read Information Disclosure Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to disclose sensitive information on affected installations of Foxit PDF Reader. 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 Bookmark objects. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in a read past the end of an allocated buffer. An attacker can leverage this in conjunction with other vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-22110.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-51553 represents a critical out-of-bounds read condition within Foxit PDF Reader's bookmark handling functionality. This security flaw resides in the software's inability to properly validate user-supplied data during the processing of bookmark objects within pdf documents. The issue manifests when the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the boundaries of allocated buffer space, potentially exposing sensitive information stored in adjacent memory regions. Such information disclosure vulnerabilities are particularly concerning as they may reveal confidential data including system memory contents, cryptographic keys, or other sensitive information that could be leveraged by threat actors for further exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the bookmark parsing component of the Foxit PDF Reader application. When processing maliciously crafted pdf files containing specially constructed bookmark objects, the software fails to perform adequate bounds checking before accessing memory locations. This lack of proper boundary validation creates an opportunity for attackers to manipulate the application's memory access patterns and potentially read data from unauthorized memory regions. The vulnerability specifically affects the bookmark object handling code path, where the application processes user-provided data without sufficient sanitization or validation checks that would normally prevent such out-of-bounds memory access patterns.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors. While the primary effect involves reading sensitive data from memory, the presence of an out-of-bounds read condition creates opportunities for attackers to craft payloads that could trigger additional vulnerabilities within the application. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions, and may potentially map to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage. The requirement for user interaction through visiting malicious web pages or opening malicious files means that exploitation typically occurs through social engineering campaigns or compromised websites. However, the remote nature of this attack vector makes it particularly dangerous as it can be delivered through various channels including email attachments, web-based pdf viewers, or compromised websites.
Organizations and users affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the latest version of Foxit PDF Reader where the issue has been patched. System administrators should also consider implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls or content filtering solutions to block access to known malicious domains. Additionally, user education and awareness programs should emphasize the importance of avoiding untrusted pdf files and websites. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in security-critical applications, particularly those handling untrusted data from external sources. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and consider implementing additional monitoring for suspicious pdf file processing activities within their environments. Organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure readiness for potential exploitation of this class of vulnerability, which may require forensic analysis of memory dumps or system logs to determine the full scope of any successful exploitation attempts.