Code execution via freed checkbox field reuse
Published Oct 2, 2024 · Updated Sep 23, 2025
Use-after-free in Foxit PDF Reader 2024.1.0.23997 allows context-dependent attackers to execute code through a crafted PDF. The checkbox Calculate callback invokes deletePages(), which frees page-associated objects, before addField continues using the freed checkbox object without validation. Exploitation requires a user to open the malicious PDF, or to visit a malicious site with the browser extension enabled, and code runs in the reader process.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Foxit PDF Reader 2024.1.0.23997 allows context-dependent attackers to execute code through a crafted PDF. The checkbox Calculate callback invokes deletePages(), which frees page-associated objects, before addField continues using the freed checkbox object without validation. Exploitation requires a user to open the malicious PDF, or to visit a malicious site with the browser extension enabled, and code runs in the reader process.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-28888
- Published
- Oct 2, 2024
- Updated
- Sep 23, 2025
- Vendor
- Foxit Software
- Product
- Foxit PDF Reader
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1203, T1204.002
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 2, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 23, 2025Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=2024.1.0.23997
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Talos checkbox Calculate proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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