Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Foxit Reader 10.1.1.37576 can be forced to run attacker-controlled code if a user opens a malicious file or visits a malicious page. The flaw is in document element parsing, not authentication. Risk is meaningful for workstations that routinely receive external documents.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation where Foxit Reader is used on employee workstations exposed to external documents. The vulnerability enables code execution after user interaction, making it relevant to phishing risk, but the sources do not show confirmed active exploitation.
Technical view
The issue is a CWE-122 heap-based buffer overflow in handling the Decimal element. A crafted leadDigits value can overflow a fixed-length heap buffer and allow arbitrary code execution in the current Foxit Reader process. CVSS is 7.8, with no privileges required and user interaction required.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to installations of Foxit Reader 10.1.1.37576. Highest-risk users are those opening external PDFs or web-delivered files, especially from email, customer portals, or public downloads.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not indicate known active exploitation, and KEV is false. Exploitation requires convincing a target to open a malicious file or visit a malicious page, so phishing or document-lure delivery is the main concern.
Researcher notes
ZDI identifies this as ZDI-CAN-13095 affecting Foxit Reader 10.1.1.37576. The root cause is Decimal element parsing with a crafted leadDigits value causing heap buffer overflow. Evidence in the bundle does not name a fixed version.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory Foxit Reader installations and identify version 10.1.1.37576.
- Check Foxit security bulletins for the vendor-approved fixed version or mitigation.
- Prioritize updates on workstations handling external or untrusted documents.
- Use email and web controls to reduce delivery of suspicious document lures.
- If updating is delayed, limit Foxit Reader use for untrusted files.
Validation and detection
- Confirm endpoint software inventory includes Foxit Reader version details.
- Validate whether any systems still run Foxit Reader 10.1.1.37576.
- Review vendor guidance before marking remediation complete.
- Check endpoint telemetry for Foxit Reader crashes after suspicious document opens.
- Review email or web alerts involving unexpected Foxit-handled attachments.
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
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CWE-122: 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-2021-31454 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
- 7.8 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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 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:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.phpCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-21-543/CVE 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.
Heap-based Buffer Overflow
Heap-based Buffer Overflow represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.