HIGH
CVE-2016-4059
NVD-CWE-OtherPublished: April 22, 2016· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
7.8
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
Use-after-free vulnerability in Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF before 7.3.4 on Windows allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted FlateDecode stream in a PDF document.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2016-4059 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.
A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionRequired
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Affected Vendors & Products
foxitsoftware2 product(s)
foxit readerphantompdf
Source: NVD CPE · 2 total CPE entries
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (6)
→
http://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-16-221Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.phpVendor Advisory
→
http://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-16-221Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.phpVendor Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2016-4059
CVSS Score7.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessNVD-CWE-Other
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedApr 22, 2016
Related CVEs (NVD-CWE-Other)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2016-4059 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWatch. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.