CVE-2023-51556

Code execution via stale AcroForm Doc object

Published May 3, 2024 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Use-after-free in AcroForm Doc handling in Foxit PDF Reader and PDF Editor allows attackers to execute code through a crafted PDF. Doc-object handling performs operations after the underlying object has been deleted or freed because existence is not validated first. Opening the malicious file or visiting a page that supplies it is required, and successful exploitation runs code in the current process.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.42%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in AcroForm Doc handling in Foxit PDF Reader and PDF Editor allows attackers to execute code through a crafted PDF. Doc-object handling performs operations after the underlying object has been deleted or freed because existence is not validated first. Opening the malicious file or visiting a page that supplies it is required, and successful exploitation runs code in the current process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-51556
Published
May 3, 2024
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Foxit Software
Product
Foxit PDF Reader
Classifications
CWE-416, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 3, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=2023.2.0.21408

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Foxit Software · Foxit PDF Readerversion=2023.2.0.21408
Foxit Software · Foxit PDF Editorversion=0 <=10.1.12.37872; version=11.0.0 <=11.2.7.53812

Published CVSS scores

7.8Zero Day InitiativeCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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-416Use After Free
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

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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