CVE-2022-24369
📋 TL;DR
This is a critical remote code execution vulnerability in Foxit PDF Reader that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening malicious PDF files containing specially crafted JP2 images. The vulnerability affects users of Foxit PDF Reader version 11.1.0.52543 and potentially other versions. Attackers can leverage this to gain control of the victim's system.
💻 Affected Systems
- Foxit PDF Reader
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with attacker gaining full control of the victim's machine, enabling data theft, ransomware deployment, or lateral movement within the network.
Likely Case
Malware installation leading to data exfiltration, credential theft, or system disruption for individual users who open malicious PDFs.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper application sandboxing, endpoint protection, and user awareness preventing successful exploitation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction but is technically straightforward once malicious PDF is opened. The vulnerability was discovered by Zero Day Initiative (ZDI-CAN-16087).
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 11.1.1 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 latest version (11.1.1 or newer). 4. Restart computer after installation completes.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable JP2 image parsing
windowsConfigure Foxit Reader to disable JP2 image format support to prevent exploitation vector
Not available via command line - requires registry/configuration changes
Use alternative PDF viewer
allTemporarily use a different PDF reader that is not vulnerable
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to block execution of Foxit Reader
- Deploy endpoint protection with memory protection and exploit prevention capabilities
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Foxit Reader version: Open Foxit Reader > Help > About. If version is 11.1.0.52543 or earlier, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
On Windows: "C:\Program Files\Foxit Software\Foxit PDF Reader\FoxitPDFReader.exe" --versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 11.1.1 or newer in Help > About dialog📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Process crashes of FoxitPDFReader.exe
- Unusual child processes spawned from Foxit Reader
- Memory access violations in application logs
Network Indicators:
- Downloads of PDF files from suspicious sources followed by unusual outbound connections
SIEM Query:
Process Creation where Image contains 'FoxitPDFReader.exe' AND Parent Process contains 'explorer.exe' AND Command Line contains '.pdf'