CVE-2018-17610

Foxit PhantomPDF and Reader before 9.3 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (use-after-free) because properties of…

published September 28, 2018

CVSS
—
EPSS
3%
Percentile
88.0
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

⚠️ A mishandled annotation could turn your PDF into a playground for attackers! Imagine being handed a book with loose pages that someone can freely edit — that's how this vulnerability operates! Think of this flaw like a restaurant where the cooking staff doesn't check orders — a recipe book is left open, allowing anyone to substitute ingredients without oversight. If an attacker can exploit this mishap, they can execute arbitrary code or even cause a denial of service, turning a regular dining experience into a chaotic kitchen disaster. The consequences can be quite alarming! An attacker could execute malicious code or crash the application, which means your document handling could grind to a halt or worse, let someone take control of your system. This is a sneaky vulnerability that might not be actively exploited yet, but it’s certainly one to keep an eye on!

Put simply

Think of this flaw like a restaurant where the cooking staff doesn't check orders — a recipe book is left open, allowing anyone to substitute ingredients without oversight. If an attacker can exploit this mishap, they can execute arbitrary code or even cause a denial of service, turning a regular dining experience into a chaotic kitchen disaster. This vulnerability in Foxit PhantomPDF and Reader arises from the improper management of properties in certain Annotation objects, leading to a use-after-free condition. This flaw could allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service if they craft specific documents.

What to do

The consequences can be quite alarming! An attacker could execute malicious code or crash the application, which means your document handling could grind to a halt or worse, let someone take control of your system. This is a sneaky vulnerability that might not be actively exploited yet, but it’s certainly one to keep an eye on! To protect yourself, ensure you are using Foxit PhantomPDF and Reader version 9.3 or later, which addresses this issue. Regularly check for updates and stay informed about any patches that may be released in the future. You've got this! With a little diligence, you can keep your documents secure and your systems safe! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS
Not scored
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.03176 · 88.0th percentile
Published
2018-09-28T09:00Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 28 SEP 09:00Z
    Foxit PhantomPDF and Reader before 9.3 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (use-after-free) because properties of…
    cvelistv5