CVE-2020-17416
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening malicious JPEG2000 images in Foxit Reader. Attackers can gain control of the affected system through a memory corruption flaw. All users of vulnerable Foxit Reader versions are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Foxit Reader
📦 What is this software?
Foxit Reader by Foxitsoftware
Phantompdf by Foxitsoftware
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with attacker gaining full control of the victim's computer, potentially leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or lateral movement within the network.
Likely Case
Malware installation or data exfiltration through crafted PDF documents containing malicious JPEG2000 images.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper application sandboxing and memory protection mechanisms, potentially resulting in application crash rather than code execution.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploit requires user interaction but no authentication. Proof-of-concept code is publicly available through ZDI disclosure.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 10.0.1.35811 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.php
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Open Foxit Reader. 2. Go to Help > Check for Updates. 3. Follow prompts to install latest version. 4. Alternatively, download and install latest version from Foxit website.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable JPEG2000 image rendering
windowsPrevent Foxit Reader from processing JPEG2000 images by modifying registry settings
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\Preferences]
"DisableJPEG2000"=dword:00000001
Use alternative PDF reader
allTemporarily switch to a different PDF reader that is not vulnerable
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized code
- Deploy memory protection mechanisms like DEP and ASLR at system level
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Foxit Reader version: Open Foxit Reader > Help > About. If version is 10.0.0.35798 or earlier, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
On Windows: wmic product where "name like 'Foxit Reader%'" get versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 10.0.1.35811 or later. Test opening known safe JPEG2000 images to ensure functionality.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes with memory access violations
- Unusual process spawning from Foxit Reader
- Failed attempts to load JPEG2000 images
Network Indicators:
- Downloads of PDF files from suspicious sources
- Outbound connections initiated by Foxit Reader process
SIEM Query:
source="*foxit*" AND (event_type="crash" OR process_name="FoxitReader.exe") AND (file_extension="pdf" OR file_type="jpeg2000")