Pdf EditorApplication · Foxitsoftware

CVE-2021-38566

HIGH · 7.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2021-08-11

Fix available

A fix is available. Upgrade to 11.0.1 or later.

See remediation →

84/100

Remediation priority · High

Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description

NVD · unedited

An issue was discovered in Foxit PDF Reader before 11.0.1 and PDF Editor before 11.0.1. It allows stack consumption during recursive processing of embedded XML nodes.

Technical summary

dbcve analysis · high confidence

A stack consumption vulnerability exists in Foxit PDF Reader and Editor before version 11.0.1. The application performs recursive processing of embedded XML nodes without proper limits, leading to excessive stack usage that can cause the application to crash or become unresponsive. This is a denial-of-service vulnerability exploitable through specially crafted PDF files containing deeply nested XML structures.

MitigationUpgrade to Foxit PDF Reader 11.0.1 or later, and Foxit PDF Editor 11.0.1 or later. Alternatively, avoid opening untrusted PDF files from unknown sources until the patch is applied.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions

NVD · CPE data

Pdf EditorApplication

Affected:< 11.0.1

Pdf ReaderApplication

Affected:< 11.0.1

CVSS breakdown

From the vector

Attack vector: Network
Complexity: Low
Privileges: None
User interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: None
Integrity: None
Availability: High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Am I affected?

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

Check Foxit PDF Reader version

Open Foxit PDF Reader, then navigate to Help > About Foxit Reader (or press Ctrl+Alt+F5). Note the exact version number displayed in the dialog.

Affected if The displayed version is lower than 11.0.1 (for example, 10.x, 9.x, or earlier).
Check Foxit PDF Editor version

Open Foxit PDF Editor, then navigate to Help > About Foxit PDF Editor (or press Ctrl+Alt+F5). Note the exact version number displayed in the dialog.

Affected if The displayed version is lower than 11.0.1 (for example, 10.x, 9.x, or earlier).
Check version via Windows Programs and Features

Open Windows Control Panel > Programs and Features (or Settings > Apps > Apps & features). Locate Foxit PDF Reader or Foxit PDF Editor in the list and check the version column.

Affected if The installed version shown is less than 11.0.1.

You are affected if any Foxit PDF Reader or Foxit PDF Editor installation on your system is version 11.0.0 or earlier.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Remediation

dbcve · scoped

Upgrade available Upgrade to 11.0.1 or later

Fixed in 11.0.1

Interim mitigation

Upgrade to Foxit PDF Reader 11.0.1 or later, and Foxit PDF Editor 11.0.1 or later. Alternatively, avoid opening untrusted PDF files from unknown sources until the patch is applied.

Recommended fix High confidence

Foxit PDF Reader 11.0.1 or later | Foxit PDF Editor 11.0.1 or later

1. Identify the current installed version of Foxit PDF Reader or Foxit PDF Editor via Help > About or the application properties
2. Navigate to the official Foxit download page at www.foxitsoftware.com
3. Download Foxit PDF Reader version 11.0.1 or later (if using Reader), or Foxit PDF Editor version 11.0.1 or later (if using Editor)
4. Close any running Foxit applications
5. Uninstall the current Foxit PDF Reader or Editor version via Windows Control Panel > Programs and Features
6. Run the downloaded installer for version 11.0.1 or later
7. Follow the installation wizard prompts to complete the installation
8. Restart the application and verify the version via Help > About

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Pdf Editor Scoped from the published advisory

Consultation2.0 h
Implementation4.0 h
Testing2.0 h
Review / QA1.0 h

9.0 hours of engineering $1,600

Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,560.

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally

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References

Primary sources

www.foxitsoftware.comVendor Advisory
nvd.nist.govNVD record

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-38566 in production — separate from our analysis above.

Notes0 Guidelines

Know something about CVE-2021-38566?

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

Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.

What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here

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

At a glance

A fix existsUpgrade to 11.0.1 or later

Severity 7.5 High

Exploit likelihood EPSS, next 30 days 1.0%

Affects: Pdf Editor

Remediation

A high-priority fix

Fix this in Pdf Editor 9 hrs · Low

Typical engagement from $1,600

Get a fix See the full breakdown ↓

A high-priority vulnerability. Send your environment and a specialist will scope CVE-2021-38566 and return a fixed quote and timeline.

You’ll deal with our team directly and deploy the reviewed fix to staging first — never straight to production.

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.

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.

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.

CVSS 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.

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.

Check your environment

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.

Scan for this in your stack

References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Practitioner notes

No notes yet

Official description

Technical summary

Affected products & versions

CVSS breakdown

Am I affected?

Remediation

References