CVE-2025-13941

SYSTEM code execution via weak plugin permissions

Published Dec 19, 2025 · Updated Dec 19, 2025

Incorrect permission assignment in Foxit PDF Reader and Editor 13.2.1, 14.0.1, and 2025.2.1 and earlier allows local users to run code as SYSTEM. Plugin installation applies weak file-system permissions to resources later executed by the privileged Update service, allowing replacement by low-privileged users. Successful exploitation requires local low-privileged access on Windows and causes arbitrary attacker-controlled code to run with SYSTEM privileges.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect permission assignment in Foxit PDF Reader and Editor 13.2.1, 14.0.1, and 2025.2.1 and earlier allows local users to run code as SYSTEM. Plugin installation applies weak file-system permissions to resources later executed by the privileged Update service, allowing replacement by low-privileged users. Successful exploitation requires local low-privileged access on Windows and causes arbitrary attacker-controlled code to run with SYSTEM privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-13941
Published
Dec 19, 2025
Updated
Dec 19, 2025
Vendor
Foxit Software
Product
Foxit PDF Reader
Classifications
CWE-732, CAPEC-233, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 19, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 19, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=Versions 13.2.1 and eariler
  2. Affected versionversion=Versions 14.0.1 and earlier
  3. Affected versionversion=Versions 2025.2.1 and earlier

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Foxit Software · Foxit PDF Readerversion=Versions 13.2.1 and eariler; version=Versions 14.0.1 and earlier; version=Versions 2025.2.1 and earlier
Foxit Software · Foxit PDF Editorversion=Versions 13.2.1 and eariler; version=Versions 14.0.1 and earlier; version=Versions 2025.2.1 and earlier

Published CVSS scores

8.8Foxit SoftwareCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-732Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
CAPEC-233Privilege Escalation
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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