CVE-2024-5306 in Power PDF
Summary
by MITRE • 06/06/2024
Kofax Power PDF PDF File Parsing Memory Corruption 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 memory corruption condition. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-22930.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2025
The CVE-2024-5306 vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Kofax Power PDF software that enables remote code execution through improper handling of PDF file parsing operations. This vulnerability resides within the application's PDF parsing engine where insufficient input validation allows maliciously crafted PDF content to trigger memory corruption conditions. The flaw specifically manifests when the software processes user-supplied PDF data without adequate sanitization measures, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory structures and execute arbitrary code within the context of the running process. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, though the memory corruption aspect suggests broader memory management issues that could include heap corruption or other memory manipulation techniques.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires user interaction through either visiting a malicious webpage hosting compromised PDF content or opening a specially crafted PDF file directly. This user interaction requirement aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which describes social engineering attacks that rely on user engagement to deliver malicious payloads. The remote code execution capability means that attackers can potentially gain full control over affected systems, including the ability to install malware, modify system configurations, or exfiltrate sensitive data. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because PDF readers are commonly used across enterprise environments, making this a prime target for advanced persistent threats and zero-day exploitation campaigns.
From a technical perspective, the memory corruption occurs during the parsing phase of PDF file processing where the application fails to properly validate the structure and content of incoming PDF data. This lack of validation can lead to buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory manipulation scenarios that allow attackers to overwrite critical memory locations. The vulnerability's exploitation typically involves crafting PDF files with malformed structures or oversized data segments that cause the parsing engine to behave unpredictably, ultimately leading to code execution. Organizations using Kofax Power PDF are at significant risk as this vulnerability can be exploited through multiple attack vectors including web-based delivery, email attachments, or file sharing platforms where PDF documents are commonly exchanged.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-5306 should include immediate deployment of vendor-provided patches or updates that address the memory validation issues in the PDF parsing engine. System administrators should implement network-level controls such as PDF file scanning, content filtering, and web application firewalls to prevent malicious PDF content from reaching end users. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of only opening PDF files from trusted sources and avoiding suspicious email attachments or web downloads. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw makes it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where attackers could leverage this weakness to establish persistent access, making comprehensive network monitoring and endpoint detection crucial components of the overall security posture. Organizations should also consider implementing principle of least privilege controls to limit the impact of successful exploitation and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing PDF-based attack vectors.