CVE-2014-8074
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedBuffer overflow in the SetLogFile method in Foxit.FoxitPDFSDKProCtrl.5 in Foxit PDF SDK ActiveX 2.3 through 5.0.1820 before 5.0.2.924 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long string, related to global variables.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceBuffer overflow in the SetLogFile method of Foxit PDF SDK ActiveX control (Foxit.FoxitPDFSDKProCtrl.5) allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via an overly long string parameter, affecting versions 2.3 through 5.0.1820 before the 5.0.2.924 patch.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 2.3= 3.0= 4.0= 5.0.0= 5.0.1.820CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- M
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Partial
- Integrity
- Partial
- Availability
- Partial
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Confirm Foxit PDF SDK ActiveX is installedSearch Windows registry under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes for the ProgID 'Foxit.FoxitPDFSDKProCtrl.5' or check for its associated CLSID entry. Alternatively, examine the system for the ActiveX DLL file (typically named FoxitPDFSDKProCtrl.dll or similar).Affected if The ActiveX control is present in the system registry or as a DLL file.
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Retrieve the installed version numberInspect the version information of the ActiveX DLL file by right-clicking the file, selecting Properties, and viewing the Details tab, or use a PowerShell command to query the file version (for example: Get-ItemProperty on the DLL path).Affected if The version returned is 2.3, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0.0, or 5.0.1.820, or falls within the range 2.3 through 5.0.1820.
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Verify the SetLogFile method is exposedCheck if the ActiveX control is registered as a browser add-on in Internet Explorer settings (Tools > Manage Add-ons), or examine the control's exposed COM interface for the SetLogFile method through a script or vulnerability scanner capable of enumerating ActiveX methods.Affected if The SetLogFile method is available and accessible through the ActiveX control interface.
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Confirm the control is enabled in the environmentReview Internet Explorer security settings to determine whether the Foxit PDF SDK ActiveX control is allowed to run, or check group policy settings for ActiveX controls under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Internet Explorer > Security Features.Affected if The ActiveX control is permitted to load and execute in the browser context.
A user is affected if the Foxit PDF SDK ActiveX control is installed with a version between 2.3 and 5.0.1820 inclusive, the SetLogFile method is accessible, and the control is enabled in the environment.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpgrade Foxit PDF SDK to version 5.0.2.924 or later. If the ActiveX control is not required, disable or remove it to reduce attack surface.
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2014-8074 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2014-8074 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data