CVE-2023-39485
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 · uneditedPDF-XChange Editor JP2 File Parsing Out-Of-Bounds Write Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of PDF-XChange Editor. 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 parsing of JP2 files. Crafted data in a JP2 file can trigger a write past the end of an allocated buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-19189.
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 · moderate confidencePDF-XChange Editor contains an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in its JP2 (JPEG 2000) file parser. When parsing a specially crafted JP2 file, the parser writes data past the end of an allocated memory buffer, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user 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= 9.4.364.0= 10.0.1.371= 9.4.364.0= 10.0.1.371CVSS 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.
-
Confirm PDF-XChange product installationCheck for PDF-XChange Editor or PDF-XChange Pdf Tools in installed programs (Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps, or inspect Registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall for DisplayName containing 'PDF-XChange')Affected if Either product is installed
-
Identify installed versionLocate the main executable (typically pcvcore.dll or PDFXEdit.exe in the installation directory, usually C:\Program Files\PDF-XChange or C:\Program Files (x86)\PDF-XChange) and view file properties to get the Product Version, or query registry under the product's uninstall key for DisplayVersionAffected if Version matches 9.4.364.0 or 10.0.1.371 exactly (these specific versions are affected)
-
Determine if JP2 parsing capability existsConfirm the application installation includes the JP2/JPEG 2000 parser module - this is typically bundled by default as part of the standard image handling libraries; check installation directory for jpxlib.dll or similar JP2-related DLLsAffected if JP2 parser module is present (this is the default configuration and required for the vulnerability to be triggerable)
-
Review recent JP2 file accessCheck Windows Shell history, recent documents, or application file open history for JP2 files (files with .jp2 extension) that may have been opened with PDF-XChange products - examine %APPDATA%\PDF-XChange\*\RecentFiles folder if it existsAffected if User has opened untrusted JP2 files with the affected product (this is the exploitation vector)
User is affected if PDF-XChange Editor or PDF-XChange Pdf Tools version 9.4.364.0 or 10.0.1.371 is installed and the JP2 parser module is present, allowing specially crafted JP2 files to trigger the out-of-bounds write.
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 vendor-supplied patches for PDF-XChange Editor when available. Until then, avoid opening untrusted JP2 files and consider using endpoint protection or application sandboxing as compensating controls.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,880.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-39485 — 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-2023-39485 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
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.
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.
- 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