Quantum Secular Labs / Blog / Advisories

CVE-2018-20248: Foxitsoftware Quick PDF Library: Out-of-bounds Write

CVE-2018-20248 is rated critical with a CVSS v3.0 base score of 9.8 and affects Foxitsoftware Quick PDF Library. Per its scoring, it can be exploited over the network, without authentication, without any user interaction. The scored impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is the highest available.

Vulnerability description

In Foxit Quick PDF Library (all versions prior to 16.12), issue where loading a malformed or malicious PDF containing invalid xref table pointers or invalid xref table data using the LoadFromFile, LoadFromString, LoadFromStream, DAOpenFile or DAOpenFileReadOnly functions may result in an access violation caused by out of bounds memory access.

Severity breakdown

CVSS v3.0 9.8: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

  • Attack vector: Network. Exploitable remotely over the network, with no need for local or physical access.
  • Attack complexity: Low. No special conditions; the attack can be repeated reliably.
  • Privileges required: None. No account or prior access is needed.
  • User interaction: None. No action from any user is needed.
  • Scope: Unchanged. Impact stays within the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: High. Total loss of confidentiality; sensitive data can be fully disclosed.
  • Integrity impact: High. Total loss of integrity; data or system state can be fully modified.
  • Availability impact: High. Total loss of availability; the component can be shut down.

Underlying weakness

CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write

The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

CWE-119: Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it reads from or writes to a memory location outside the buffer's intended boundary.

Affected products

  • Foxitsoftware Quick PDF Library: before 16.12

References