CVE-2019-20829 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A vulnerability was found in versions of Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF prior to 9.6. This vulnerability involves a NULL pointer dereference through the use of FXSYS_wcslen in an Epub file.

Understanding CVE-2019-20829

This CVE-2019-20829 vulnerability affects Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF versions before 9.6.

What is CVE-2019-20829?

CVE-2019-20829 is a vulnerability in Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF that allows a NULL pointer dereference via FXSYS_wcslen in an Epub file.

The Impact of CVE-2019-20829

This vulnerability could potentially lead to a denial of service (DoS) attack or arbitrary code execution by an attacker exploiting the NULL pointer dereference.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-20829

This section provides more technical insights into the CVE-2019-20829 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF before version 9.6 involves a NULL pointer dereference through the use of FXSYS_wcslen in an Epub file.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF
Versions: Before 9.6

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by crafting a malicious Epub file that triggers the NULL pointer dereference in the FXSYS_wcslen function.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2019-20829, follow these mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF to version 9.6 or later.
Avoid opening Epub files from untrusted or unknown sources.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software to the latest versions to patch known vulnerabilities.
Implement security best practices to minimize the risk of exploitation.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of security patches and updates provided by Foxit Software to mitigate the CVE-2019-20829 vulnerability.