CVE-2022-28104
📋 TL;DR
Foxit PDF Editor v11.3.1 contains an arbitrary file upload vulnerability that allows attackers to upload malicious files to the system. This affects all users running the vulnerable version of Foxit PDF Editor, potentially leading to remote code execution.
💻 Affected Systems
- Foxit PDF Editor
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution with SYSTEM/root privileges, complete system compromise, data exfiltration, ransomware deployment, and lateral movement across the network.
Likely Case
Malware installation, backdoor persistence, credential theft, and data manipulation through uploaded malicious files.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation, application whitelisting, and least privilege principles in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploit details are publicly available on Packet Storm Security, making this easily weaponizable.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: v11.3.2 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.php
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download latest version from Foxit website. 2. Uninstall vulnerable version. 3. Install updated version. 4. Restart system.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Foxit PDF Editor
windowsTemporarily disable or uninstall Foxit PDF Editor until patched.
Uninstall via Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program
Network Restriction
windowsBlock Foxit PDF Editor from accessing network resources.
Use Windows Firewall to block outbound/inbound connections for FoxitPDFEditor.exe
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized executables
- Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) with behavioral monitoring
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Foxit PDF Editor version in Help > About. If version is 11.3.1, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
wmic product where name="Foxit PDF Editor" get versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 11.3.2 or higher in Help > About after update.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual file uploads via Foxit processes
- Suspicious child processes spawned from FoxitPDFEditor.exe
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected outbound connections from Foxit PDF Editor
- File uploads to unusual destinations
SIEM Query:
process_name="FoxitPDFEditor.exe" AND (process_command_line CONTAINS "upload" OR child_process_name IN ("cmd.exe", "powershell.exe", "wscript.exe"))