Vulnerabilities > CVE-2018-19446 - Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource vulnerability in Foxitsoftware Foxit PDF SDK Activex

047910
CVSS 6.8 - MEDIUM
Attack vector
NETWORK
Attack complexity
MEDIUM
Privileges required
NONE
Confidentiality impact
PARTIAL
Integrity impact
PARTIAL
Availability impact
PARTIAL

Summary

A File Write can occur for specially crafted PDF files in Foxit Reader SDK (ActiveX) Professional 5.4.0.1031 when the JavaScript API Doc.createDataObject is used. An attacker can leverage this to gain remote code execution.

Vulnerable Configurations

Part Description Count
Application
Foxitsoftware
1
OS
Microsoft
1

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Accessing Functionality Not Properly Constrained by ACLs
    In applications, particularly web applications, access to functionality is mitigated by the authorization framework, whose job it is to map ACLs to elements of the application's functionality; particularly URL's for web apps. In the case that the administrator failed to specify an ACL for a particular element, an attacker may be able to access it with impunity. An attacker with the ability to access functionality not properly constrained by ACLs can obtain sensitive information and possibly compromise the entire application. Such an attacker can access resources that must be available only to users at a higher privilege level, can access management sections of the application or can run queries for data that he is otherwise not supposed to.
  • Privilege Abuse
    An adversary is able to exploit features of the target that should be reserved for privileged users or administrators but are exposed to use by lower or non-privileged accounts. Access to sensitive information and functionality must be controlled to ensure that only authorized users are able to access these resources. If access control mechanisms are absent or misconfigured, a user may be able to access resources that are intended only for higher level users. An adversary may be able to exploit this to utilize a less trusted account to gain information and perform activities reserved for more trusted accounts. This attack differs from privilege escalation and other privilege stealing attacks in that the adversary never actually escalates their privileges but instead is able to use a lesser degree of privilege to access resources that should be (but are not) reserved for higher privilege accounts. Likewise, the adversary does not exploit trust or subvert systems - all control functionality is working as configured but the configuration does not adequately protect sensitive resources at an appropriate level.
  • Directory Indexing
    An adversary crafts a request to a target that results in the target listing/indexing the content of a directory as output. One common method of triggering directory contents as output is to construct a request containing a path that terminates in a directory name rather than a file name since many applications are configured to provide a list of the directory's contents when such a request is received. An adversary can use this to explore the directory tree on a target as well as learn the names of files. This can often end up revealing test files, backup files, temporary files, hidden files, configuration files, user accounts, script contents, as well as naming conventions, all of which can be used by an attacker to mount additional attacks.
  • Accessing, Modifying or Executing Executable Files
    An attack of this type exploits a system's configuration that allows an attacker to either directly access an executable file, for example through shell access; or in a possible worst case allows an attacker to upload a file and then execute it. Web servers, ftp servers, and message oriented middleware systems which have many integration points are particularly vulnerable, because both the programmers and the administrators must be in synch regarding the interfaces and the correct privileges for each interface.
  • Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels
    An attacker exploits a weakness in the configuration of access controls and is able to bypass the intended protection that these measures guard against and thereby obtain unauthorized access to the system or network. Sensitive functionality should always be protected with access controls. However configuring all but the most trivial access control systems can be very complicated and there are many opportunities for mistakes. If an attacker can learn of incorrectly configured access security settings, they may be able to exploit this in an attack. Most commonly, attackers would take advantage of controls that provided too little protection for sensitive activities in order to perform actions that should be denied to them. In some circumstances, an attacker may be able to take advantage of overly restrictive access control policies, initiating denial of services (if an application locks because it unexpectedly failed to be granted access) or causing other legitimate actions to fail due to security. The latter class of attacks, however, is usually less severe and easier to detect than attacks based on inadequate security restrictions. This attack pattern differs from CAPEC 1, "Accessing Functionality Not Properly Constrained by ACLs" in that the latter describes attacks where sensitive functionality lacks access controls, where, in this pattern, the access control is present, but incorrectly configured.

Nessus

NASL familyWindows
NASL idFOXIT_PDF_ACTIVEX_5_5_1.NASL
descriptionAccording to its version, the Foxit PDF SDK ActiveX application installed on the remote Windows host is prior to 5.5.1. It is, therefore, affected by multiple vulnerabilities: - A remote code execution vulnerability exists due to a lack of security permission control which could allow LaunchURL actions and links to execute programs without a user
last seen2020-06-01
modified2020-06-02
plugin id125924
published2019-06-14
reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/125924
titleFoxit PDF SDK ActiveX < 5.5.1 Multiple Vulnerabilities
code
#
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#

include("compat.inc");

if (description)
{
  script_id(125924);
  script_version("1.3");
  script_cvs_date("Date: 2019/10/18 23:14:15");

  script_cve_id(
    "CVE-2018-19418",
    "CVE-2018-19444",
    "CVE-2018-19445",
    "CVE-2018-19446",
    "CVE-2018-19447",
    "CVE-2018-19448",
    "CVE-2018-19449",
    "CVE-2018-19450",
    "CVE-2018-19451",
    "CVE-2018-19452"
  );
  script_bugtraq_id(108692);

  script_name(english:"Foxit PDF SDK ActiveX < 5.5.1 Multiple Vulnerabilities");
  script_summary(english:"Checks the version of Foxit PDF SDK ActiveX.");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"A PDF toolkit installed on the remote Windows host is affected by
multiple vulnerabilities.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"According to its version, the Foxit PDF SDK ActiveX application
installed on the remote Windows host is prior to 5.5.1. It is, 
therefore, affected by multiple vulnerabilities:

  - A remote code execution vulnerability exists due to 
    a lack of security permission control which could allow
    LaunchURL actions and links to execute programs without
    a user's consent. An unauthenticated, remote 
    attacker can exploit this by convincing a user to open a
    specially crafted file, to execute arbitrary code.
    (CVE-2018-19418, CVE-2018-19445, CVE-2018-19450, CVE-2018-19451)

  - A remote code execution vulnerability exists due to 
    a lack of security permission control which could allow
    javascript and exportasFDF to write arbitrary files without
    a user's consent. An unauthenticated, remote 
    attacker can exploit this by convincing a user to open a
    specially crafted file, to execute arbitrary code.
    (CVE-2018-19446, CVE-2018-19449)

  - A remote code execution vulnerability exists due to 
    a stack buffer overflow in string1 URI parsing. 
    An unauthenticated, remote attacker can exploit this by 
    convincing a user to open a specially crafted file, to 
    execute arbitrary code. (CVE-2018-19447)

  - A remote code execution vulnerability exists due to 
    a use-after-free occurring when a javascript command
    is triggered by a mouse enter action or focus loss. 
    An unauthenticated, remote attacker can exploit this by 
    convincing a user to open a specially crafted file, to 
    execute arbitrary code. (CVE-2018-19452, CVE-2018-19444)

  - A remote code execution vulnerability exists due to 
    an uninitialized object reference as a result of a timer
    not ending when a form loses focus. An unauthenticated, 
    remote attacker can exploit this by convincing a user to 
    open a specially crafted file, to execute arbitrary code. 
    (CVE-2018-19448)");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.php");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Upgrade to Foxit PDF SDK ActiveX version 5.5.1 or later.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2018-19452");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2019/01/08");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2019/01/08");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2019/06/14");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/a:foxitsoftware:foxit_pdf_sdk_activex");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Windows");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("foxit_pdf_sdk_activex_installed.nbin");
  script_require_keys("installed_sw/Foxit PDF SDK ActiveX");

  exit(0);
}

include('vcf.inc');

app = 'Foxit PDF SDK ActiveX';

app_info = vcf::get_app_info(app:app, win_local:TRUE);

constraints = [{'fixed_version' : '5.5.1'}];

vcf::check_version_and_report(app_info:app_info, constraints:constraints, severity:SECURITY_WARNING);