CVE-2018-21241

Code execution via insufficiently qualified DLL path

Published Jun 4, 2020 · Updated Aug 5, 2024

Untrusted DLL loading in Foxit PhantomPDF before 8.3.6 allows local users to execute code when a user launches the application. The application loads an external library through an insufficiently qualified path, allowing a malicious DLL in the searched directory to be selected. Exploitation requires placement of that DLL and user interaction to launch the application; code runs with that user's privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.79%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Untrusted DLL loading in Foxit PhantomPDF before 8.3.6 allows local users to execute code when a user launches the application. The application loads an external library through an insufficiently qualified path, allowing a malicious DLL in the searched directory to be selected. Exploitation requires placement of that DLL and user interaction to launch the application; code runs with that user's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2018-21241
Published
Jun 4, 2020
Updated
Aug 5, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-426, CAPEC-38, T1574.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 4, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.4NIST NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-426Untrusted Search Path
CAPEC-38Leveraging/Manipulating Configuration File Search Paths
T1574.001Hijack Execution Flow: DLL

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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