Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A malicious PDF could make older Foxit PDF Reader write files to disk without proper restriction. That can turn a document open into later code execution, such as on user login or reboot. Treat this as high risk where legacy Foxit Reader remains installed.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation on workstations that process external PDFs. The issue is old but dangerous because public exploit references exist and document-based delivery fits common phishing workflows.
Technical view
Foxit PDF Reader before 4.3.1.0218 exposed createDataObject() to untrusted PDF JavaScript, allowing arbitrary file writes. The weakness maps to CWE-73 and is scored CVSS 4.0 8.4. Public exploit references exist, but the provided sources do not show confirmed active exploitation.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Windows endpoints with Foxit PDF Reader older than 4.3.1.0218. The affected metadata in the bundle is limited and inconsistent, so validate against installed versions and vendor history.
Exploitation context
Attack requires user interaction with a malicious PDF. Public exploit material is cited by Rapid7, Exploit-DB, and the original technical writeup. KEV is false, so active exploitation is not established by the provided evidence.
Researcher notes
Do not infer broader Foxit product impact from the bundle. The strongest affected-version statement is Reader before 4.3.1.0218. Provided sources support arbitrary file write and possible code execution after a later trigger, not confirmed active exploitation.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade Foxit PDF Reader to 4.3.1.0218 or a current supported release.
- Remove unsupported legacy Foxit Reader versions from managed endpoints.
- Apply application control to block unexpected executables or scripts from user-writable paths.
- Restrict opening of untrusted PDFs, especially from email or web downloads.
- Check Foxit vendor guidance before relying on configuration-only mitigations.
Validation and detection
- Inventory installed Foxit PDF Reader versions across endpoints.
- Flag any Foxit Reader installation older than 4.3.1.0218.
- Review EDR telemetry for suspicious file creation after PDF opens.
- Confirm PDF JavaScript policy and reader hardening settings where centrally managed.
- Verify remediation with software inventory after upgrade or removal.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-73: File access and web shell behavior lookup
File traversal and upload weaknesses can lead teams to review file, web shell, execution, and collection telemetry. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2011-10030 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 8.4 (4.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N——VulnCheckVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 4.0 score
8.4HighVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/master/modules/exploits/windows/fileformat/foxit_reader_filewrite.rbCVE reference, VulnCheck · exploit
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/16978CVE reference, VulnCheck · exploit
- https://www.foxit.com/pdf-reader/version-history.htmlCVE reference, VulnCheck · vendor-advisory, patch
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/foxit-pdf-reader-javascript-file-writeCVE reference, VulnCheck · third-party-advisory
- https://scarybeastsecurity.blogspot.com/2011/03/dangerous-file-write-bug-in-foxit-pdf.htmlCVE reference, CISA-ADP · exploit
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
External Control of File Name or Path
External Control of File Name or Path represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.