Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2018-9951 is a remote code execution flaw in Foxit Reader 9.0.0.29935. An attacker would need a user to open a malicious file or visit a malicious page. Successful exploitation could run code with the user's privileges, making exposed desktop systems a meaningful business risk.
Executive priority
Treat as a targeted desktop application risk, not an internet-facing server emergency. Prioritize remediation where users routinely open outside PDFs, because exploitation can lead to code execution after user interaction.
Technical view
The flaw is in Foxit Reader handling of CPDF_Object objects. The source describes missing validation that an object exists before operations are performed, mapped to CWE-416. ZDI reported that exploitation can execute arbitrary code in the current process context.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to installations of Foxit Reader 9.0.0.29935. Risk is highest where users handle PDFs or web-delivered documents from external or untrusted sources.
Exploitation context
The provided sources require user interaction: the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or other evidence of active exploitation.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports RCE in Foxit Reader 9.0.0.29935 via CPDF_Object handling. The bundle lacks CVSS, fixed-version detail, exploit availability, and active exploitation evidence, so validation should remain tightly tied to vendor and ZDI records.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory endpoints for Foxit Reader 9.0.0.29935.
- Check Foxit security guidance for the fixed or supported release path.
- Update or remove affected Foxit Reader installations where feasible.
- Reduce handling of untrusted PDFs on systems that remain exposed.
- Use endpoint controls to limit document-borne code execution risk.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether Foxit Reader 9.0.0.29935 exists in software inventory.
- Prioritize devices used for external document intake or web browsing.
- Verify vulnerable builds were updated, removed, or formally risk-accepted.
- Review Foxit security bulletin details before declaring remediation complete.
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-416: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. 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-2018-9951 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
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
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.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.phpCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-18-335CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
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.
Use After Free
Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.