HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2016-8856
HIGH

CVE-2016-8856

CWE-275Published: October 31, 2016· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Foxit Reader for Mac 2.1.0.0804 and earlier and Foxit Reader for Linux 2.1.0.0805 and earlier suffered from a vulnerability where weak file permissions could be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary code. After the installation, Foxit Reader's core files were world-writable by default, allowing an attacker to overwrite them with backdoor code, which when executed by privileged user would result in Privilege Escalation, Code Execution, or both.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2016-8856 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

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.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

foxitsoftware1 product(s)
reader
Source: NVD CPE · 1 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

PATCHhttps://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.php
PATCHhttps://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.php

All References (6)

→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93608Technical Description · VDB Entry
→
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037101
→
https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.phpPatch · Vendor Advisory
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93608Technical Description · VDB Entry
→
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037101
→
https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.phpPatch · Vendor Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2016-8856
CVSS Score7.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-275
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedOct 31, 2016

Related CVEs (CWE-275)

CVE-2017-6513
9.9
CVE-2023-3759
9.8
CVE-2018-15379
9.8
CVE-2017-16887
9.8
CVE-2021-22566
9.8
CVE-2020-14496
9.8

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2016-8856 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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