CVE-2022-24907
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2022-24907 is a buffer overflow vulnerability in Foxit PDF Reader's JP2 image parser that allows remote code execution. Attackers can exploit this by tricking users into opening malicious PDF files containing crafted JP2 images. Users of affected Foxit PDF Reader versions are at risk.
💻 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 computer, potentially leading to 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 and user privilege restrictions, potentially containing the exploit to the PDF reader process only.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction but is technically straightforward once malicious PDF is opened. ZDI advisory suggests reliable exploitation is possible.
🛠️ 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 JP2 image rendering
windowsPrevent Foxit from processing JP2 images by modifying registry settings or configuration files
Windows Registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\Preferences\General\bDisableJP2=1
Use alternative PDF reader
allTemporarily switch to a different PDF reader application until Foxit is patched
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict user permissions to prevent code execution from PDF reader context
- Implement application whitelisting to block unauthorized executables
🔍 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: "C:\Program Files\Foxit Software\Foxit PDF Reader\FoxitReader.exe" --versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 11.2.0 or later in Help > About. Test opening PDFs with JP2 images to ensure no crashes.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Foxit PDF Reader crash logs with memory access violations
- Unexpected child processes spawned from FoxitReader.exe
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections from FoxitReader.exe to unknown IPs
- DNS requests for suspicious domains after PDF opening
SIEM Query:
process_name="FoxitReader.exe" AND (event_id=1000 OR child_process_count>1)