HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2016-6168
HIGH

CVE-2016-6168

CWE-416Published: February 7, 2018· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Use-after-free vulnerability in Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF 7.3.4.311 and earlier on Windows allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) and execute arbitrary code via a crafted PDF file.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2016-6168 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.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-416): Use-after-free vulnerabilities involve accessing memory after it has been freed, often enabling arbitrary code execution.

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

ADVISORYhttps://fortiguard.com/zeroday/FG-VD-16-021
ADVISORYhttps://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.php
ADVISORYhttps://fortiguard.com/zeroday/FG-VD-16-021
ADVISORYhttps://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.php

All References (4)

→
https://fortiguard.com/zeroday/FG-VD-16-021Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.phpVendor Advisory
→
https://fortiguard.com/zeroday/FG-VD-16-021Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.phpVendor Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2016-6168
CVSS Score7.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-416
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedFeb 7, 2018

Related CVEs (CWE-416)

CVE-2012-1972
10.0
CVE-2012-1974
10.0
CVE-2024-43102
10.0
CVE-2015-3107
10.0
CVE-2012-1973
10.0
CVE-2012-1975
10.0

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2016-6168 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.
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