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Pdf ToolsApplication · Pdf Xchange

CVE-2023-39486

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-05-03
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
81/100
Remediation priority · High
No privileges

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
PDF-XChange Editor JP2 File Parsing Memory Corruption 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. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in a memory corruption condition. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-19264.

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

Memory corruption vulnerability in PDF-XChange Editor's JP2 file parser due to improper validation of user-supplied data. Attackers can achieve remote code execution by enticing users to open malicious JP2 files.

MitigationApply vendor patch from PDF-XChange Editor; until patched, instruct users to avoid opening untrusted JP2 files from unknown sources.

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 ToolsApplication
Affected:= 9.4.364.0= 10.0.1.371
Pdf Xchange EditorApplication
Affected:= 9.4.364.0= 10.0.1.371

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
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 checks

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

  1. Identify installed PDF-XChange products
    Check Program Files for 'PDF-XChange' folders, or look in Windows Registry under HKLM\SOFTWARE\PDF-XChange or HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\PDF-XChange
    Affected if Either PDF-XChange Editor or PDF-XChange PDF Tools is installed
  2. Determine installed version of PDF-XChange Editor
    Right-click the executable (pdfxcend.exe typically in C:\Program Files\PDF-XChange Editor), select Properties, and view the File Version on the Details tab
    Affected if Version matches 9.4.364.0 or 10.0.1.371 exactly, or falls between these versions (e.g., 9.4.x.x through 10.0.x.x)
  3. Determine installed version of PDF-XChange PDF Tools
    Right-click the executable (pdfTools.exe typically in C:\Program Files\PDF-XChange\PDF-Tools\) or check the application via Windows Programs and Features, and view the version
    Affected if Version matches 9.4.364.0 or 10.0.1.371 exactly, or falls between these versions
  4. Confirm JP2 file handling capability is available
    Open PDF-XChange Editor, go to File > Open or attempt to open a .jp2 file directly; the vulnerability triggers when the application parses a JP2 image
    Affected if The JP2 parser processes the file - this is a built-in capability with no separate enablement required

You are affected if PDF-XChange Editor (version 9.4.364.0 or 10.0.1.371, or within that range) or PDF-XChange PDF Tools is installed and can process JP2 image files.

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
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply vendor patch from PDF-XChange Editor; until patched, instruct users to avoid opening untrusted JP2 files from unknown sources.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

PDF-XChange Editor latest version (verify 10.x release after 10.0.1.371 that includes security fix for JP2 parsing vulnerability)

  1. 1. Visit the official PDF-XChange website (www.tracker-software.com) or contact their support to obtain the latest version of PDF-XChange Editor
  2. 2. Download the most recent stable release that supersedes versions 9.4.364.0 and 10.0.1.371
  3. 3. Uninstall the current vulnerable version of PDF-XChange Editor or Pdf Tools
  4. 4. Install the updated version from the official source
  5. 5. Verify the installed version matches or exceeds a version known to contain the fix for CVE-2023-39486 (ZDI-CAN-19264)
  6. 6. Apply any additional security updates or patches released after the initial fix
Caveat Verify compatibility with your workflow as major version upgrades may introduce UI changes or remove legacy features

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

Fix this in Pdf Tools Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
18.0 hours of engineering $3,200
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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-2023-39486 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