VDB-239319 · CVE-2023-42040 · ZDI-23-1391

Tracker Software PDF-XChange Editor mailForm use after free

CVSS Meta Temp Score CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.	Current Exploit Price (≈) Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.	CTI Interest Score Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
7.2	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Tracker Software PDF-XChange Editor and classified as critical. This vulnerability affects the function mailForm. Performing a manipulation results in use after free. This vulnerability is cataloged as CVE-2023-42040. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. There is no exploit available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Tracker Software PDF-XChange Editor (the affected version unknown). This affects the function mailForm. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

PDF-XChange Editor mailForm Use-After-Free Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of PDF-XChange Editor. 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 mailForm method. The issue results from the lack of validating the existence of an object prior to performing operations on the object. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-20663.

The weakness was shared 09/08/2023 as ZDI-23-1391. It is possible to read the advisory at zerodayinitiative.com. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2023-42040 since 09/06/2023. It demands that the victim is doing some kind of user interaction. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability.

Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

Document Reader Software

Vendor

Tracker Software

Name

PDF-XChange Editor

License

free

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.2

VulDB Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Temp Score: 6.0
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 7.8
NVD Vector: 🔍

CNA Base Score: 7.8
CNA Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Use after free
CWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Timelineinfo

09/06/2023 🔍
09/08/2023 +2 days 🔍
09/08/2023 +0 days 🔍
05/19/2025 +619 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Advisory: ZDI-23-1391
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2023-42040 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2023-42040
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-239319

Entryinfo

Created: 09/08/2023 23:30
Updated: 05/19/2025 19:40
Changes: 09/08/2023 23:30 (37), 05/19/2025 19:40 (38)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103