CVE-2024-9253
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in Foxit PDF Reader allows remote attackers to read memory beyond allocated buffers when processing malicious PDF files with AcroForms. It can disclose sensitive information and potentially lead to arbitrary code execution when combined with other vulnerabilities. Users who open untrusted PDF files are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Foxit PDF Reader
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Information disclosure leads to memory address leaks enabling ASLR bypass, combined with other vulnerabilities for remote code execution with user privileges.
Likely Case
Information disclosure revealing memory contents, potentially exposing sensitive data or system information.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper sandboxing and memory protections are in place, though information disclosure still occurs.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires user interaction to open malicious file. Information disclosure alone may not be sufficient for full compromise without additional vulnerabilities.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2024.3 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 2024.3 or later. 4. Restart the application.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable JavaScript in Foxit
allPrevents JavaScript-based exploitation vectors
File > Preferences > JavaScript > Uncheck 'Enable JavaScript'
Use Protected View
allOpen untrusted PDFs in protected/sandboxed mode
File > Preferences > Trust Manager > Check 'Enable Safe Reading Mode'
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict PDF opening to trusted sources only
- Use alternative PDF readers temporarily
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Foxit version in Help > About Foxit Reader. If version is below 2024.3, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
On Windows: wmic product where name="Foxit Reader" get versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 2024.3 or later in Help > About Foxit Reader.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes with memory access violations
- Unusual PDF file access from untrusted sources
Network Indicators:
- Downloads of PDF files from suspicious sources
SIEM Query:
source="*foxit*" AND (event_id=1000 OR event_id=1001) AND exception_code=0xc0000005