Building the Most Secure PDF Reader
At Foxit, prompt response to software defects and security holes has always been, and will continue to be a top priority of its product service. Acknowledging software defects and security holes are inevitable and Foxit treats the mission-critical defects and security issues very seriously. Foxit has published all the historic security issues on its website and keeps tracking on the potential security issues on daily basis. Even though its known security issue list is much shorter compared to the other competitors due to the robustness of its software products, Foxit has always planned ahead for the unexpected.
In our effort to serve you best, please click here to report a potential security vulnerability.
Fixed an issue where users cannot open the attachments of PDF files in XP and Windows7.
SUMMARY
Foxit Reader 5.3 fixed an issue where users cannot open the attachments of PDF files in XP and Windows7. The reason of this issue is that the size of the cross-references flow is negative number.
Affected Versions
Foxit Reader 5.1.4.0104 and earlier.
Fixed in Version
Foxit Reader 5.3
SOLUTION
Please do one of the followings:
- Please go to "Check for Updates Now" in Reader help menu to update to the latest version 5.3
- Click here to download the updated version now.
SECURITY PROCESS
2012-4-12: Nate of Microsoft Vulnerability Research found the issue;
2012-4-12: Core Security Technologies confirmed the issue;
2012-4-12: Foxit fixed the issue;
2012-5-03: Foxit released fixed version of Foxit Reader 5.3.
Fixed an issue when opening certain PDF files.
SUMMARY
Foxit Reader 5.1.3 fixed an issue when opening certain PDF files. This issue was caused by the cross-border assignment of an array which may result in memory corruption vulnerabilities.
Affected Versions
Foxit Reader 5.1.0.1021 and earlier.
Fixed in Version
Foxit Reader 5.1.3
SOLUTION
Please do one of the followings:
- Please go to "Check for Updates Now" in Reader help menu to update to the latest version 5.1.3
- Click here to download the updated version now.
SECURITY PROCESS
2011-11-09: Alex Garbutt of iSEC Partners, Inc. found the issue;
2011-11-11: Core Security Technologies confirmed the issue;
2011-11-17: Foxit fixed the issue;
2011-12-07: Foxit released fixed version of Foxit Reader 5.1.3.
Fixed a security issue of arbitrary code execution when opening certain PDF files.
SUMMARY
Foxit Reader 5.0.2 fixed a security issue of arbitrary code execution when opening certain PDF files. This issue was caused by an Insecure Library Loading vulnerability which may enable the application to load malicious DLL files placed in the Reader's directory by a 3rd party.
Affected Versions
Foxit Reader 5.0 and earlier.
Fixed in Version
Foxit Reader 5.0.2
SOLUTION
Please do one of the followings:
- Please go to "Check for Updates Now" in Reader help menu to update to the latest version 5.0.2
- Click here to download the updated version now.
SECURITY PROCESS
2011-06-11: Rob Kraus of Security Consulting Services (SCS) found the issue;
2011-06-13: Core Security Technologies confirmed the issue;
2011-07-20: Foxit fixed the issue;
2011-07-21: Foxit released fixed version of Foxit Reader 5.0.2.
Fixed an issue of Foxit Reader when opening certain PDF files in a web browser.
SUMMARY
Foxit Reader 5.0.2 fixed an issue of Foxit Reader when opening certain PDF files in a web browser. The issue is caused by a memory boundary error which can be exploited to cause a heap-based buffer overflow.
Affected Versions
Foxit Reader 5.0 and earlier.
Fixed in Version
Foxit Reader 5.0.2
SOLUTION
Please do one of the followings:
- Please go to "Check for Updates Now" in Reader help menu to update to the latest version 5.0.2
- Click here to download the updated version now.
SECURITY PROCESS
2011-06-20: Dmitriy Pletnev of Secunia found the issue;
2011-06-24: Core Security Technologies confirmed the issue;
2011-07-20: Foxit fixed the issue;
2011-07-21: Foxit released fixed version of Foxit Reader 5.0.2.
Fixed an issue of Foxit Reader when opening some affected PDF files.
SUMMARY
Foxit PDF Reader 4.3.1.0218 had an issue of Foxit Reader when opening some affected files, which is fixed in Reader 5.0. This issue is caused by the memory corruption which could be exploited by viruses to attach or execute malicious code.
Affected Versions
Foxit Reader 4.3.1.0218 and earlier.
Fixed in Version
Foxit Reader 5.0
SOLUTION
Please do one of the followings:
- Please go to "Check for Updates Now" in Reader help menu to update to the latest version 5.0
- Click here to download the updated version now.
SECURITY PROCESS
2011-04-18: Brett Gervasoni of Sense of Security Pty Ltd found the issue;
2011-04-20: Core Security Technologies confirmed the issue;
2011-05-22: Foxit fixed the issue;
2011-05-26: Foxit released fixed version of Foxit Reader 5.0.
Fixed an issue of the Foxit Reader software that is caused by illegal accessing memory.
SUMMARY
Foxit PDF Reader 4.3.1.0218 fixed an issue of the Foxit Reader software that is caused by illegal accessing memory when opening some special PDF documents.
Affected Versions
Foxit Reader 4.3 and earlier.
Fixed in Version
Foxit Reader 4.3.1.0218
SOLUTION
Please do one of the followings:
- Please go to "Check for Updates Now" in Reader help menu to update to the latest version 4.3.1.0218
- Click here to download the updated version now.
SECURITY PROCESS
2011-02-15: Secunia Research found the issue;
2011-02-15: Core Security Technologies confirmed the issue;
2011-02-22: Foxit fixed the issue;
2011-02-24: Foxit released fixed version of Foxit Reader 4.3.1.0218.
Fixed identity theft issue caused by the security flaw of the digital signature.
SUMMARY
Foxit Reader 4.2 fixes the theft issue caused by the security flaw of the digital signature efficiently and better prevents the digital signature from being compromised and fiddled.
Affected Versions
Foxit Reader 4.1 and earlier.
Fixed in Version
Foxit Reader 4.2
SOLUTION
Please do one of the followings:
- Please go to "Check for Updates Now" in Reader help menu to update to the latest version 4.2
- Click here to download the updated version now.
SECURITY PROCESS
2010-08-18: Foxit found the issue;
2010-08-18: Core Security Technologies confirmed the issue;
2010-09-13: Foxit fixed the issue;
2010-09-29: Foxit released fixed version of Foxit Reader 4.2.
Fixed the crash issue caused by the new iPhone/iPad jailbreak program.
SUMMARY
Foxit Reader 4.1.1.0805 fixes the crash issue caused by the new iPhone/iPad jailbreak program efficiently and prevents the malicious attacks to your computer.
Affected Versions
Foxit Reader 4.0 and earlier.
Fixed in Version
Foxit Reader 4.1
SOLUTION
Please do one of the followings:
- Please go to "Check for Updates Now" in Reader help menu to update to the latest version 4.1.1.0805
- Click here to download the updated version now.
SECURITY PROCESS
2010-08-04: Foxit found the issue;
2010-08-04: Core Security Technologies confirmed the issue;
2010-08-05: Foxit fixed the issue;
2010-08-06: Foxit released fixed version of Foxit Reader 4.1.1.0805.
Fixed a numerical overflow in the freetype engine.
SUMMARY
Foxit Reader 4.0.0.0619 fixed an issue of Foxit Reader caused by the numerical overflow in the freetype engine when opening some PDF files. The reason of the overflow is that the type1 decoder in the freetype engine lacks of a numerical boundary checking.
Affected Versions
Foxit Reader 4.0 and earlier.
Fixed in Version
Foxit Reader 4.0.0.0619
SOLUTION
Please do one of the followings:
- Please go to "Check for Updates Now" in Reader help menu to update to the latest version 4.0.0.0619
- Click here to download the updated version now.
SECURITY PROCESS
2010-05-25: David Seidman of Microsoft and Microsoft Vulnerability Research (MSVR) found the issue;
2010-05-26: Core Security Technologies confirmed the issue;
2010-06-01: Foxit fixed the issue;
2010-06-29: Foxit released fixed version of Foxit Reader 4.0.0.0619.
Authorization Bypass When Executing An Embedded Executable.
SUMMARY
Fixed a security issue that Foxit Reader runs an executable embedded program inside a PDF automatically without asking for user's permission.
AFFECTED SOFTWARE VERSION
Foxit Reader 3.2.0.0303.
SOLUTION
Please do one of the followings:
- Please go to "Check for Updates Now" in Reader help menu to update to the latest version 3.2.1.0401
- Click here to download the updated version now.
SECURITY PROCESS
2010-03-29: Didier Stevens found the issue;
2010-03-30: Core Security Technologies confirmed the issue;
2010-03-30: Foxit fixed the issue;
2010-04-01: Foxit released fixed version of Foxit Reader 3.2.1.0401.
Firefox Plugin Memory Corruption Vulnerability Fixed
SUMMARY
The vulnerability is caused due to an error in the Foxit Reader plugin for Firefox (npFoxitReaderPlugin.dll). This can be exploited to trigger a memory corruption by tricking a user into visiting a specially crafted web page which repeatedly loads and unloads the plugin.
AFFECTED SOFTWARE VERSION
Foxit Reader 3.1.2.1013 and Foxit Reader 3.1.2.1030
SOLUTION
Recommend all Foxit Reader users to please update Firefox Plgun to the latest version, which is available here: http://www.foxitsoftware.com/downloads/
SECURITY PROCESS
2009-10-20: Foxit found the issue and contacted Secunia for details immediately;
2009-10-22: Foxit confirmed issue;
2009-11-17: Foxit fixed the issue;
2009-11-17: Fix confirmed by Secunia;
2009-11-17: Foxit released Firefox Plugin 1.1.2009.1117
Two Security Vulnerabilities Fixed in Foxit Reader 3.0 and JPEG2000/JBIG2 Decoder
SUMMARY
Here is detailed information about the vulnerabilities:
- Fixed a problem related to negative stream offset (in malicious JPEG2000 stream) which caused reading data from an out-of-bound address. We have added guard codes to solve this issue.
- Fixed a problem related to error handling when decoding JPEG2000 header, an uncaught fatal error resulted a subsequent invalid address access. We added error handling code to terminate the decoding process.
AFFECTED SOFTWARE VERSION
Foxit Reader 3.0 and JPEG2000/JBIG2 Decoder add-on version 2.0.2009.303
SOLUTION
For Foxit Reader users, please download the latest Foxit Reader 3.0, and for the critical add-on of JPEG 2000/JBIG2 decoder, please go to "Check for Updates Now" located in the Reader help menu to update the add-on to the latest version 2.0 Build 2009.616.
SECURITY PROCESS
2009-06-02: Foxit received report from CERT;
2009-06-03: Foxit confirmed issues;
2009-06-09: Foxit fixed the issues;
2009-06-19: Foxit released fixed version of Foxit Reader 3.0 Build 1817 and JPEG2000/JBIG2 Decoder add-on version 2.0 Build 2009.616.
Stack-based Buffer Overflow
SUMMARY
Foxit PDF files include actions associated with different triggers. If an action (Open/Execute a file, Open a web link, etc.) is defined in the PDF files with an overly long filename argument and the trigger condition is satisfied, it will cause a stack-based buffer overflow.
AFFECTED SOFTWARE VERSION
Foxit Reader 3.0.
SOLUTION
Recommend all Foxit Reader users to please update their Foxit Reader 3.0, available here: http://www.foxitsoftware.com/downloads/
SECURITY PROCESS
2009-02-18: Foxit received report from Core Security Technologies;
2009-02-19: Foxit confirmed issue;
2009-02-20: Foxit fixed the issue;
2009-02-28: Fix confirmed by Core Security Technologies;
2009-03-09: Foxit released fixed version 3.0 Build 1506.
Security Authorization Bypass
SUMMARY
If an action (Open/Execute a file, Open a web link, etc.) is defined in the PDF files and the trigger condition is satisfied, Foxit Reader will do the action defined by the creator of the PDF file without popping up a dialog box to confirm.
AFFECTED SOFTWARE VERSION
Foxit Reader 3.0 and Foxit Reader 2.3
SOLUTION
Recommend Foxit Reader users to update to Foxit Reader 3.0, and for those who keep using Foxit Reader 2.3 you can download the updated version, available here: http://www.foxitsoftware.com/downloads/
SECURITY PROCESS
2009-02-18: Foxit received report from Core Security Technologies;
2009-02-19: Foxit confirmed issue;
2009-02-20: Foxit fixed the issue;
2009-02-28: Fix confirmed by Core Security Technologies;
2009-03-09: Foxit released fixed version 3.0 Build 1506 and version 2.3 Build 3902.
JBIG2 Symbol Dictionary Processing
SUMMARY
While decoding a JBIG2 symbol dictionary segment, an array of 32-bit elements is allocated having a size equal to the number of exported symbols, but left uninitialised if the number of new symbols is zero. The array is later accessed and values from uninitialised memory are used as pointers when reading memory and performing calls.
AFFECTED SOFTWARE VERSION
JPEG2000/JBIG Decoder add-on version 2.0.2008.715 in Foxit Reader 3.0 and Foxit Reader 2.3
SOLUTION
For Foxit Reader users who have downloaded and used the JPEG2000/JBIG Decoder, please go to "Check for Updates Now" in Reader help menu to update the add-on to the latest version 2.0.2009.303 or click here to download the latest version 2.0.2009.303.
SECURITY PROCESS
2009-02-27: Foxit received report from Secunia;
2009-02-28: Foxit confirmed issue;
2009-03-04: Foxit fixed the issue;
2009-03-04: Fix confirmed by Secunia;
2009-03-09: Foxit released fixed version 2.0.2009.303
Ask Toolbar ToolbarSettings ActiveX Control Buffer Overflow
The ask.com toolbar Foxit is bundling, is not the same version as reported on secunia.com, and doesn't have the reported vulnerability.
Click here to check the related report on secunia.com.