HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2018-3842
HIGH

CVE-2018-3842

CWE-824Published: April 19, 2018· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

8.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

An exploitable use of an uninitialized pointer vulnerability exists in the JavaScript engine in Foxit PDF Reader version 9.0.1.1049. A specially crafted PDF document can lead to a dereference of an uninitialized pointer which, if under attacker control, can result in arbitrary code execution. An attacker needs to trick the user to open a malicious file to trigger this vulnerability. If the browser plugin extension is enabled, visiting a malicious site can also trigger the vulnerability.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2018-3842 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

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 8.8.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionRequired
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

foxitsoftware1 product(s)
foxit 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

ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/103942
ADVISORYhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id/1040733
ADVISORYhttps://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2018-0525
ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/103942
ADVISORYhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id/1040733
ADVISORYhttps://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2018-0525

All References (6)

→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/103942Broken Link · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1040733Broken Link · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2018-0525Exploit · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/103942Broken Link · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1040733Broken Link · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2018-0525Exploit · Third Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2018-3842
CVSS Score8.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-824
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedApr 19, 2018

Related CVEs (CWE-824)

CVE-2007-2442
10.0
CVE-2009-0846
10.0
CVE-2017-12561
9.8
CVE-2020-17446
9.8
CVE-2025-66588
9.8
CVE-2020-11138
9.8

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2018-3842 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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