CVE-2020-15638
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 · uneditedThis vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Foxit PhantomPDF 9.7.2.29539. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the NodeProperties::InferReceiverMapsUnsafe method. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in a type confusion condition. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-10950.
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 confidenceA type confusion vulnerability in Foxit PhantomPDF's NodeProperties::InferReceiverMapsUnsafe method allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via malicious PDF files or web pages. The flaw results from insufficient validation of user-supplied data, enabling code execution in the context of the current process.
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<= 10.0.0.35798<= 10.0.0.35798CVSS 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
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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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Check if Foxit PhantomPDF or Reader is installedOpen Windows Control Panel > Programs and Features, or run 'Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | Select-Object DisplayName' in PowerShell to list installed programsAffected if Foxit PhantomPDF or Foxit Reader appears in the installed programs list
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Retrieve the installed version numberRight-click the Foxit application icon, select Properties, and view the Details tab for the Version field. Alternatively, right-click the executable file in Program Files, select Properties, and check the Version tabAffected if The version number displayed is 10.0.0.35798 or lower
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Verify the affected component exists in the installationCheck if the Foxit PDF SDK or core PDF processing libraries are present in the installation directory (typically in Program Files\Foxit Software or Program Files (x86)\Foxit Software)Affected if The Foxit PhantomPDF or Reader executable and associated DLL files exist in the default installation path
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Assess exposure to malicious PDF files or web contentDetermine whether the user commonly opens PDF files from untrusted sources or uses browser PDF viewing plugins integrated with FoxitAffected if Users open PDF files from external or untrusted sources, or browser PDF viewing is enabled using Foxit plugins
A user is affected if Foxit PhantomPDF or Reader version 10.0.0.35798 or lower is installed and the user opens malicious PDF files or visits webpages that trigger the NodeProperties::InferReceiverMapsUnsafe vulnerability.
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 dataApply the vendor patch/update to Foxit PhantomPDF when available. Until then, instruct users to avoid opening untrusted PDF files and disable browser PDF viewing plugins.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-15638 — 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-2020-15638 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
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