Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a low-severity Foxit PDF Reader issue that can leak sensitive process information when a user opens a crafted PDF or visits a malicious page. It is mainly a concern on endpoints using the listed Foxit Reader version and may matter more if paired with other vulnerabilities.
Executive priority
Treat as routine endpoint hygiene unless Foxit Reader is widely deployed among high-risk users. The direct severity is low, but PDF parser flaws can become more serious when chained with other vulnerabilities.
Technical view
CVE-2021-34949 is a CWE-125 out-of-bounds read in Foxit PDF Reader Annotation object handling. Improper validation of user-supplied data can read past an allocated object. The disclosed impact is limited confidentiality loss, with arbitrary code execution only described when chained with other vulnerabilities.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to systems running Foxit PDF Reader 11.0.0.49893 where users can open untrusted PDFs or web-delivered files. The source bundle does not establish broader affected versions, CPEs, or default exposure.
Exploitation context
The sources state user interaction is required: the target must open a malicious file or visit a malicious page. The CVE is not listed as KEV in the bundle, and no cited source supports active exploitation.
Researcher notes
Evidence is specific to Foxit PDF Reader 11.0.0.49893 and Annotation object parsing. The bundle does not name a fixed version or exploit in the wild. Avoid assuming all Foxit products or versions are affected without vendor confirmation.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory endpoints for Foxit PDF Reader 11.0.0.49893.
- Check Foxit security bulletins for the vendor-recommended update or mitigation.
- Prioritize users who regularly handle external PDFs.
- Limit opening untrusted PDFs until vendor guidance is applied.
Validation and detection
- Confirm installed Foxit PDF Reader versions on managed endpoints.
- Review mail, browser, and endpoint controls for external PDF handling.
- Check whether Foxit guidance references CVE-2021-34949 or ZDI-21-1180.
- Verify remediation by rechecking installed versions after update.
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-125: 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-2021-34949 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
- Low
- CVSS
- 3.3 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A: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.
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:L/I:N/A:N1.81.4Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
3.3LowVector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- ZDI-21-1180CVE reference · x_research-advisory
- vendor-provided URLCVE reference · vendor-advisory
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.
Out-of-bounds Read
Out-of-bounds Read represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.