Description

An out-of-bounds write vulnerability exists in the PDF rendering process of Foxit PDF Editor/Reader due to insufficient consistency and boundary validation when processing malformed color space data, which may cause the program to crash and potentially lead to remote code execution.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "7.8",
  "pubDate": "2026-09-23T08:17:11.337Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-09-23T08:17:11.337Z",
  "executiveSummary": "This vulnerability is an out-of-bounds (OOB) write flaw residing within the PDF rendering engine of Foxit PDF Editor and Foxit PDF Reader. The vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of color space data structures during the parsing of malformed PDF files.\nIf successfully exploited, this defect allows a remote attacker to induce memory corruption, potentially leading to an application crash or the execution of arbitrary code within the context of the current user process. The vulnerability presents a significant security risk, as it can be triggered by convincing a victim to open a maliciously crafted PDF document.\nExploitation does not require prior authentication or elevated privileges, relying instead on user interaction to process the malicious file. Given the nature of PDF rendering processes, an attacker can leverage this flaw to bypass standard application-layer security controls, posing a substantial threat to system integrity and confidentiality.",
  "technicalDetails": "The root cause of this vulnerability is improper boundary checking and consistency validation within the color space processing logic of the Foxit PDF rendering pipeline. During the interpretation of a PDF document, the engine encounters specifically crafted color space objects that define device-dependent or device-independent color transformations. The parser fails to verify the size and index bounds of the data buffers associated with these color spaces before performing write operations.\nWhen a malicious PDF is opened, the rendering component allocates internal memory buffers to store color transformation data. If the input file provides malformed color space parameters—specifically those exceeding the pre-allocated buffer dimensions—the application performs an out-of-bounds write operation into adjacent memory regions. Because the rendering process involves complex object handling and memory management, this OOB write can be used to overwrite critical control structures, function pointers, or heap metadata.\nThe attack flow begins with the delivery of a specially crafted PDF document. Upon processing, the rendering engine triggers the vulnerable code path responsible for parsing the malformed color space data. An attacker can precisely control the memory layout through heap spraying or grooming techniques, facilitating the overwrite of target addresses. By overwriting function pointers, the attacker can hijack the control flow of the application, diverting execution to arbitrary shellcode or a ROP (Return-Oriented Programming) chain.\nThe vulnerability resides in the core rendering module utilized by both Foxit PDF Editor and Foxit PDF Reader. Since the parsing logic operates on untrusted external data, the exposure is significant for any environment where PDF documents are handled. Successful exploitation results in arbitrary code execution (ACE) with the privileges of the victim's session. Post-exploitation, the attacker may maintain persistence, exfiltrate sensitive documents, or pivot into the underlying host environment. No specific authentication is required, as the vulnerability is inherent to the file parsing mechanism rather than the application's authentication state. The security impact is categorized as high, given that it allows remote code execution without user interaction beyond opening the document."
}