CVE-2024-27342 in Power PDF
Summary
by MITRE • 04/03/2024
Kofax Power PDF PDF File Parsing Out-Of-Bounds Write Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Kofax Power PDF. 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 PDF files. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in a write past the end of an allocated buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-22928.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/03/2025
The CVE-2024-27342 vulnerability represents a critical out-of-bounds write flaw in Kofax Power PDF's PDF file parsing functionality that enables remote code execution. This vulnerability resides within the software's handling of PDF documents and stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data during the parsing process. The flaw specifically manifests when the application attempts to process malformed PDF files that trigger buffer overflow conditions, allowing attackers to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries. The vulnerability is classified as a remote code execution issue because attackers can exploit it without requiring local system access, making it particularly dangerous for widespread deployment. The attack vector requires user interaction, meaning targets must either visit a malicious webpage hosting the exploit or open a specially crafted malicious PDF file. This requirement for user interaction does not diminish the severity of the vulnerability, as social engineering campaigns can effectively bypass traditional network security controls. The vulnerability's exploitation potential aligns with CWE-787, which describes out-of-bounds write conditions that can lead to arbitrary code execution, and follows the ATT&CK framework's technique T1203 for exploitation of remote services through web applications. The buffer overflow condition occurs during the PDF parsing phase where the application fails to validate the length and structure of parsed data elements before writing them to memory buffers. This failure creates a predictable memory corruption scenario that attackers can leverage to inject and execute malicious code within the context of the Power PDF process. The security implications extend beyond simple code execution as the vulnerability can potentially allow attackers to escalate privileges, access sensitive data, or establish persistent access to affected systems. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw places it within the high-risk category of cybersecurity threats, particularly given the widespread use of PDF readers in enterprise environments. Organizations running Kofax Power PDF are at significant risk of compromise, as the vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including email attachments, web-based document viewers, or malicious websites. The exploit development process for this vulnerability would likely involve crafting a PDF file with malformed data structures that trigger the buffer overflow during parsing, followed by the execution of shellcode or payload delivery mechanisms. Security researchers have identified this issue as part of the ZDI-CAN-22928 vulnerability tracking system, indicating that it has been formally recognized and documented by the cybersecurity community. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic software security flaw where insufficient bounds checking leads to memory corruption, a pattern that has been extensively documented in cybersecurity literature and forms the basis for many successful exploitation techniques. The attack surface for this vulnerability is particularly broad as PDF files are commonly shared across networks and email systems, making it a prime target for mass deployment attacks. Organizations should immediately assess their exposure to this vulnerability through vulnerability scanning and patch management processes, as the window for exploitation remains open until proper security updates are deployed. The remediation approach requires applying vendor-provided security patches that address the buffer overflow condition in the PDF parsing code, along with implementing additional security controls such as email filtering, web application firewalls, and user education programs to reduce the risk of successful exploitation attempts.