CVE-2022-22150
📋 TL;DR
A memory corruption vulnerability in Foxit PDF Reader's JavaScript engine allows arbitrary code execution when users open malicious PDF files or visit malicious websites with the browser plugin enabled. This affects users running vulnerable versions of Foxit PDF Reader, particularly those who open untrusted documents or browse untrusted websites with the plugin active.
💻 Affected Systems
- Foxit PDF Reader
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise with attacker gaining complete control of the victim's machine, enabling data theft, ransomware deployment, or persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Malware installation leading to credential theft, data exfiltration, or system disruption for individual users who open malicious PDFs.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper security controls like application whitelisting, network segmentation, and user awareness preventing successful exploitation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction (opening file or visiting malicious site). The vulnerability is well-documented with public technical details.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 11.2.0 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.foxit.com/support/security-bulletins.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Foxit PDF Reader. 2. Go to Help > Check for Updates. 3. Follow prompts to install version 11.2.0 or later. 4. Restart the application.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable JavaScript in Foxit Reader
allPrevents exploitation by disabling the vulnerable JavaScript engine component
Open Foxit Reader > File > Preferences > JavaScript > Uncheck 'Enable JavaScript'
Disable Browser Plugin
allPrevents web-based exploitation through malicious websites
Browser settings > Extensions/Add-ons > Disable Foxit PDF Reader plugin
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application control to block execution of Foxit PDF Reader
- Use network segmentation to isolate systems running vulnerable versions
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Foxit PDF Reader version in Help > About. If version is 11.1.0.52543 or earlier, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
On Windows: wmic product where name="Foxit Reader" get versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 11.2.0 or later in Help > About. Confirm JavaScript is disabled if using workaround.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Process crashes of FoxitReader.exe
- Unusual child processes spawned from Foxit Reader
- Memory access violations in application logs
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected outbound connections from Foxit Reader process
- Downloads of PDF files from suspicious sources
SIEM Query:
process_name="FoxitReader.exe" AND (event_id=1000 OR event_id=1001) OR process_parent_name="FoxitReader.exe" AND process_name NOT IN ("explorer.exe", "cmd.exe")