CVE-2018-21240 : What You Need to Know

A problem has been identified in versions of Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF prior to 9.2, allowing excessive memory usage through a call to ArrayBuffer(0xfffffffe).

Understanding CVE-2018-21240

This CVE record highlights a memory consumption vulnerability in Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF.

What is CVE-2018-21240?

This CVE refers to an issue in Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF versions before 9.2 that enables excessive memory usage when a specific call to ArrayBuffer(0xfffffffe) is made.

The Impact of CVE-2018-21240

The vulnerability can lead to memory exhaustion, potentially causing system instability or crashes due to the excessive memory consumption.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-21240

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows an attacker to trigger excessive memory usage by invoking ArrayBuffer(0xfffffffe) in affected versions of Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF
Versions: Prior to 9.2

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by making a specific call to ArrayBuffer(0xfffffffe) in the affected versions of the software.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from the CVE-2018-21240 vulnerability is crucial.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF to version 9.2 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Avoid opening untrusted PDF files to reduce the risk of exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and applications to the latest versions to patch known vulnerabilities.
Implement security best practices to enhance overall system security.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security bulletins and updates from Foxit Software to address vulnerabilities promptly.