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Pdf EditorApplication · Foxit

CVE-2023-33240

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-05-19
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 12.1.1.15289 or later.
See remediation →
80/100
Remediation priority · High
Zero-click

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 · unedited
Foxit PDF Reader (12.1.1.15289 and earlier) and Foxit PDF Editor (12.1.1.15289 and all previous 12.x versions, 11.2.5.53785 and all previous 11.x versions, and 10.1.11.37866 and earlier) on Windows allows Local Privilege Escalation when installed to a non-default directory because unprivileged users have access to an executable file of a system service. This is fixed in 12.1.2.

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 confidence

Foxit PDF Reader and Editor versions before 12.1.2 are vulnerable to local privilege escalation when installed to a non-default directory. The vulnerability exists because unprivileged users can access an executable file belonging to a system service, allowing them to elevate their privileges on the Windows system.

MitigationUpgrade Foxit PDF Reader or Foxit PDF Editor to version 12.1.2 or later. Organizations should also inventory all Foxit installations to identify any non-default directory deployments that may be affected.

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
Pdf EditorApplication
Affected:<= 10.1.11.37866>= 11.0.0, <= 11.2.5.53785>= 12.0.0, <= 12.1.1.15289
Pdf ReaderApplication
Affected:<= 12.1.1.15289

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.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/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 checks

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

  1. Identify Foxit installations on the system
    Check the Windows Registry under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Foxit Software (for 64-bit) or HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Foxit Software for installed Foxit PDF Reader or Editor. Also check Program Files and Program Files (x86) directories for Foxit folders.
    Affected if Foxit PDF Reader or Editor is found installed on the system
  2. Determine the installation directory path
    Open the registry key identified in step 1 and look for the 'InstallPath' value. Alternatively, right-click the Foxit PDF icon, select Properties, and examine the 'Start in' or target path.
    Affected if The installation path is not the default C:\Program Files\Foxit Software\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\Foxit Software\
  3. Check the installed Foxit version
    Open the Foxit application, go to Help > About Foxit PDF Reader/Editor to display the version number. Alternatively, check the registry value 'Version' under the Foxit installation key.
    Affected if The version falls within any of these ranges: <= 10.1.11.37866, >= 11.0.0 and <= 11.2.5.53785, or >= 12.0.0 and <= 12.1.1.15289 for Foxit PDF Editor; or <= 12.1.1.15289 for Foxit PDF Reader
  4. Verify permissions on service executables in the Foxit directory
    If Foxit is installed in a non-default directory, use icacls or File Explorer Security tab to inspect permissions on executable files in the Foxit installation folder. Specifically look for executables that are also registered as Windows services.
    Affected if Unprivileged users (especially the Users group) have Modify or Full Control permissions on any service executable in the Foxit installation directory

A user is affected if Foxit PDF Reader or Editor version 12.1.1 or earlier (or 10.1.x/11.2.x versions in the affected ranges) is installed in a non-default directory where unprivileged users can access and modify service executables.

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

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 12.1.1.15289
Interim mitigation

Upgrade Foxit PDF Reader or Foxit PDF Editor to version 12.1.2 or later. Organizations should also inventory all Foxit installations to identify any non-default directory deployments that may be affected.

Recommended fix High confidence

Foxit PDF Reader and PDF Editor version 12.1.2 or later

  1. Identify the installed Foxit PDF Reader or PDF Editor version by opening the application and navigating to Help > About Foxit PDF Reader/Editor
  2. Download Foxit PDF Reader version 12.1.2 or later from the official Foxit website (www.foxit.com)
  3. Download Foxit PDF Editor version 12.1.2 or later from the official Foxit website (www.foxit.com)
  4. Uninstall the current vulnerable version of Foxit PDF Reader and/or PDF Editor via Windows Control Panel > Programs and Features
  5. Restart the computer after uninstallation
  6. Install the downloaded fixed version (12.1.2 or later) of Foxit PDF Reader and/or PDF Editor
  7. Verify the installed version by checking Help > About to confirm version 12.1.2 or higher is installed

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

Fix this in Pdf Editor Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
11.0 hours of engineering $1,980
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-33240 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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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