CVE-2020-10894 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This vulnerability allows remote attackers to disclose sensitive information on affected installations of Foxit PhantomPDF 9.7.1.29511. 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 handling of U3D objects embedded in a PDF. An attacker can leverage this in conjunction with other vulnerabilities to execute code in the context of the current process.

Understanding CVE-2020-10894

This CVE-2020-10894 affects Foxit PhantomPDF version 9.7.1.29511.

What is CVE-2020-10894?

CVE-2020-10894 is a vulnerability that allows remote attackers to disclose sensitive information on affected installations of Foxit PhantomPDF 9.7.1.29511. The flaw is related to the handling of U3D objects embedded in a PDF.

The Impact of CVE-2020-10894

CVSS Base Score: 3.3 (Low)
Attack Vector: Local
User Interaction: Required
Confidentiality Impact: Low
Integrity Impact: None
Privileges Required: None
Scope: Unchanged
Attack Complexity: Low
Availability Impact: None

Technical Details of CVE-2020-10894

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Foxit PhantomPDF 9.7.1.29511 allows remote attackers to disclose sensitive information due to improper validation of user-supplied data, leading to a read past the end of an allocated object.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Product: PhantomPDF
Vendor: Foxit
Affected Version: 9.7.1.29511

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability requires user interaction, where the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file to exploit the flaw.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-10894 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Foxit PhantomPDF to a non-vulnerable version.
Avoid visiting suspicious or untrusted websites.
Be cautious when opening PDF files from unknown sources.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and applications to patch known vulnerabilities.
Implement security awareness training to educate users on safe browsing habits.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that Foxit PhantomPDF is regularly updated to the latest version to mitigate the risk of exploitation.