CVE-2020-10895
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening malicious PDF files containing specially crafted U3D objects. It affects Foxit PhantomPDF users running version 9.7.1.29511. The flaw exists due to improper validation of user-supplied data, leading to out-of-bounds memory reads.
💻 Affected Systems
- Foxit PhantomPDF
📦 What is this software?
Phantompdf by Foxitsoftware
Reader by Foxitsoftware
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with attacker gaining the same privileges as the current user, potentially leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or lateral movement within the network.
Likely Case
Malicious code execution in the context of the current user, enabling data exfiltration, credential theft, or installation of additional malware.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper application sandboxing and user privilege restrictions, potentially resulting in application crash but not full system compromise.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires social engineering to deliver malicious PDF but no authentication needed once file is opened.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 9.7.2 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.php
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download latest version from Foxit website. 2. Run installer. 3. Restart system. 4. Verify version is 9.7.2 or higher.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable U3D support
windowsDisable U3D object rendering in Foxit PhantomPDF settings
Open Foxit PhantomPDF > Preferences > Security > Disable U3D support
Use alternative PDF viewer
allTemporarily use different PDF software until patched
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict user privileges to standard user accounts (not administrator)
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized executables
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Foxit PhantomPDF version in Help > About. If version is exactly 9.7.1.29511, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
wmic product where name="Foxit PhantomPDF" get versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 9.7.2 or higher in Help > About menu.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes with memory access violations
- Unexpected child processes spawned from Foxit PhantomPDF
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections from Foxit PhantomPDF to unknown IPs
- DNS requests for suspicious domains after PDF opening
SIEM Query:
process_name="FoxitPhantomPDF.exe" AND (event_id=1000 OR child_process_creation=true)