Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2018-9977 is a remote code execution flaw in Foxit Reader 9.0.0.29935. A user must open a malicious file or visit a malicious page. Successful exploitation could run attacker-controlled code as the logged-in user, making phishing-delivered documents the main business concern.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for users who receive external documents, finance, HR, legal, and executive assistants. The flaw enables code execution but requires user interaction and lacks confirmed active exploitation in the supplied evidence.
Technical view
The flaw is in Foxit Reader parsing of Modifier Chain objects in U3D files. The source says Foxit fails to validate that an object exists before operating on it, allowing arbitrary code execution in the current process. The CVE maps it to CWE-416, but no CVSS score is provided.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to endpoints running Foxit Reader 9.0.0.29935, especially users who handle external PDFs or browser-delivered files. The bundle does not identify other Foxit products or versions as affected.
Exploitation context
The source bundle says exploitation requires user interaction through a malicious page or file. CISA KEV status is false, and the provided sources do not state active exploitation. Treat exploit status as unconfirmed, not known exploited.
Researcher notes
Evidence is specific to Foxit Reader 9.0.0.29935 and U3D Modifier Chain object parsing. No CVSS vector, fixed version, public exploit status, or broader affected-version range is included in the bundle, so avoid expanding scope beyond cited records.
Mitigation direction
- Identify and prioritize systems running Foxit Reader 9.0.0.29935.
- Check Foxit security bulletins for the vendor-recommended fixed release.
- Upgrade affected Foxit Reader installations according to Foxit guidance.
- Limit handling of untrusted PDFs and U3D-containing files until remediated.
- Use endpoint controls to reduce execution impact from document reader compromise.
Validation and detection
- Inventory installed Foxit Reader versions across managed endpoints.
- Confirm affected systems are no longer on version 9.0.0.29935.
- Review email and web gateways for suspicious PDF delivery attempts.
- Validate endpoint protections alert on abnormal Foxit Reader child-process activity.
- Record remediation evidence against affected asset IDs.
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-2018-9977 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://zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-18-375CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.phpCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
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.