Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2018-9964 is a remote code execution flaw in Foxit Reader 9.0.1.1049. A victim must open a malicious file or visit a malicious page. If successful, attacker code runs inside the Foxit Reader process, which can put the user workstation and accessed documents at risk.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority workstation remediation issue where Foxit Reader 9.0.1.1049 remains deployed. The exploit requires user action, but PDF-based social engineering is common and successful exploitation can run attacker code as the user.
Technical view
The flaw is in parsing the name attribute of OCG objects. The sources describe missing validation of an object’s existence before operations are performed, mapped to CWE-416. ZDI tracked it as ZDI-CAN-5568 and says exploitation can execute code in the current process context.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to endpoints running Foxit Reader 9.0.1.1049 or closely matching vulnerable installations identified by vendor guidance. The source bundle does not prove server-side exposure or broader Foxit product impact.
Exploitation context
The sources require user interaction: opening a malicious file or visiting a malicious page. The bundle does not cite CISA KEV listing or any confirmed active exploitation, so active exploitation should not be claimed from this evidence.
Researcher notes
Useful validation centers on version exposure and PDF handling paths. The source evidence names OCG object name-attribute parsing and object-existence validation failure, but does not provide patch details, exploit maturity, or affected versions beyond Foxit Reader 9.0.1.1049.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory endpoints for Foxit Reader 9.0.1.1049.
- Check Foxit security bulletins for fixed versions and vendor guidance.
- Remove or update affected Foxit Reader installations per vendor guidance.
- Restrict handling of untrusted PDFs on affected endpoints until remediated.
- Prioritize users who routinely receive external documents.
Validation and detection
- Confirm installed Foxit Reader versions on managed endpoints.
- Check software inventory for Foxit Reader 9.0.1.1049.
- Review endpoint alerts involving suspicious PDF activity.
- Verify remediation against Foxit’s advisory or current security bulletin.
- Document any unsupported or unmanaged Foxit Reader installations.
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-2018-9964 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-18-348CVE 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.