dbcve.org
Pdf ToolsApplication · Pdf Xchange

CVE-2023-42081

MEDIUM · 5.5 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 →
58/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
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 EMF File Parsing Out-Of-Bounds Read Information Disclosure Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to disclose sensitive information 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 EMF files. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in a read past the end of an allocated object. An attacker can leverage this in conjunction with other vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-21878.

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

An out-of-bounds read vulnerability exists in PDF-XChange Editor's EMF (Enhanced Metafile) file parser due to insufficient validation of user-supplied data. The lack of proper bounds checking allows reading past the end of allocated memory, resulting in information disclosure. The vulnerability requires user interaction (opening a malicious file or visiting a malicious page). While primarily an information disclosure issue, it can be chained with other vulnerabilities for arbitrary code execution.

MitigationAvoid opening untrusted EMF files or visiting malicious pages until PDF-XChange releases an official patch. Consider implementing application whitelisting and user awareness training as interim controls.

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:= 10.0.1.371
Pdf Xchange EditorApplication
Affected:= 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
None
Availability
None

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

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 PDF-XChange Editor installation and version
    Open the application and navigate to Help > About, or check the program's file properties (right-click the executable > Properties > Details) to find the version number. Compare this to the affected version 10.0.1.371.
    Affected if The installed version equals exactly 10.0.1.371.
  2. Identify PDF-XChange Pdf Tools installation and version
    Check for any installed PDF-XChange Pdf Tools components through the Windows Programs and Features list (Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features) or by locating the tools executable and checking its version property.
    Affected if The installed version equals exactly 10.0.1.371.
  3. Confirm EMF file parsing capability is in use
    Determine if the application has processed or can process EMF (Enhanced Metafile) files. This is typically an internal parser feature triggered when opening PDF files containing embedded EMF content or when opening EMF files directly.
    Affected if The application can parse or has recently parsed EMF files within PDF documents.

You are affected if either PDF-XChange Editor or PDF-XChange Pdf Tools is installed at version exactly 10.0.1.371 and the application is used to open PDF files that may contain embedded EMF content.

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

Avoid opening untrusted EMF files or visiting malicious pages until PDF-XChange releases an official patch. Consider implementing application whitelisting and user awareness training as interim controls.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

PDF-XChange Editor version newer than 10.0.1.371 (check www.tracker-software.com for latest release)

  1. 1. Visit the official PDF-XChange website at www.tracker-software.com to download the latest version
  2. 2. Navigate to the Downloads section for PDF-XChange Editor
  3. 3. Download and install the most recent version available (ensure it is newer than version 10.0.1.371)
  4. 4. Alternatively, if you have automatic updates enabled, allow the application to update to the latest version
  5. 5. After updating, verify the version number in the application matches a release after 10.0.1.371
  6. 6. Re-test any workflows involving EMF file parsing to confirm functionality
Caveat Standard minor version upgrade - minimal risk; verify plugin compatibility if using extensions

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

Fix this in Pdf Tools Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
12.0 hours of engineering $2,080
Get help mitigating

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,328.

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally
dbcve dependency scanner

Check whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-42081 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.

Get it on GitHub Scan in the browser

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-2023-42081 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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