HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2020-17415
HIGH

CVE-2020-17415

CWE-732Published: October 13, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Foxit PhantomPDF 10.0.0.35798. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the handling of the configuration files used by the Foxit PhantomPDF Update Service. The issue results from incorrect permissions set on a resource used by the service. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-11308.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2020-17415 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:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

foxitsoftware2 product(s)
foxit readerphantompdf
Microsoft1 product(s)
windows
Source: NVD CPE · 3 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://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.php
ADVISORYhttps://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1232/
ADVISORYhttps://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.php
ADVISORYhttps://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1232/

All References (4)

→
https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.phpVendor Advisory
→
https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1232/Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.phpVendor Advisory
→
https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1232/Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2020-17415
CVSS Score7.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-732
CISA KEVNo
Affected2 vendor(s)
PublishedOct 13, 2020

Related CVEs (CWE-732)

CVE-2025-12004
10.0
CVE-2026-9508
10.0
CVE-2014-125121
10.0
CVE-2022-28802
9.9
CVE-2026-32048
9.9
CVE-2021-33509
9.9

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2020-17415 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.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
← All Vulnerabilities·Search for CVE-2020-17415·NVD