CVE-2019-20826 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A NULL pointer dereference was found in versions 3.3 of Foxit PhantomPDF Mac and Foxit Reader for Mac.

Understanding CVE-2019-20826

An issue was discovered in Foxit PhantomPDF Mac 3.3 and Foxit Reader for Mac before 3.3, leading to a NULL pointer dereference.

What is CVE-2019-20826?

This CVE identifies a vulnerability in Foxit PhantomPDF Mac and Foxit Reader for Mac versions 3.3, resulting in a NULL pointer dereference.

The Impact of CVE-2019-20826

The vulnerability could potentially allow attackers to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition or execute arbitrary code on the affected system.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-20826

The following technical details provide insight into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

A NULL pointer dereference issue exists in Foxit PhantomPDF Mac 3.3 and Foxit Reader for Mac before 3.3.

Affected Systems and Versions

Foxit PhantomPDF Mac 3.3
Foxit Reader for Mac before 3.3

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to trigger a DoS condition or potentially execute arbitrary code on the system.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2019-20826, consider the following mitigation strategies.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Foxit PhantomPDF Mac and Foxit Reader for Mac to versions beyond 3.3.
Monitor vendor security bulletins for patches and updates.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software to the latest versions to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
Implement network security measures to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by Foxit Software to address the vulnerability.