Foxit Reader NOT subject to recent exploits to Adobe vulnerability

foxit · 27 Feb 2009 at 04:13

Recently we received a number of inquiries regarding the latest Adobe vulnerability; people are concerned whether Foxit Reader is vulnerable to same kind of exploit. We have gathered enough technical information about that vulnerability and confirmed that Foxit Reader is NOT subject to same kind of exploits.

The Adobe vulnerability is caused by some buffer overflow issue within their JBIG2 decoder. Foxit uses our own JBIG2 decoder and it handles those malicious JBIG2 stream gracefully (empty image will be displayed instead of crashing).

More information regarding Adobe vulnerability can be found at http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/905281 or http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/33751.

If you should have any concern over security of PDF and Foxit Reader, feel free to contact us in any way.

Thanks for your attention.

int · 27 Feb 2009 at 08:57

Another reason to use Foxit ;p

Greenlizard0 · 27 Feb 2009 at 09:14

Trouble is Foxit is an oddly set out reader. I've recently started to use Sumatra PDF which seems to be a lot better.

bledd · 27 Feb 2009 at 09:22

thanks for the thread 'foxit', have been using your quicker alternative for a while now

RobH · 27 Feb 2009 at 09:26

I use Foxit as well, much quicker than Adobe reader. I think Sumatra PDF is even faster but it does not render all PDF's correctly for me which is a problem.

wombraider · 27 Feb 2009 at 09:53

Been using foxit for years

Smaller , faster , portable , better in acrobat in soooo many ways

z0mbi3 · 27 Feb 2009 at 09:53

Has any one else noticed that on Firefox using the Foxit plugin, that the window will go not responding while the foxit plugin waits for the pdf to download/load?

Rhys · 27 Feb 2009 at 10:20

Twice as exciting as other last post

"Foxit Software Delivers Foxit Reader 1.0 Beta for Desktop Linux"

fail at the internets · 27 Feb 2009 at 13:09

Foxit reader = win.

z0mbi3 · 10 Mar 2009 at 09:13

Probably worth bumping this thread to say the Foxit was in fact susceptible to the same exploit and that you need to update version 3.0 to patch the security flaw.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/09/foxit_pdf_reader_update/

It's not only Adobe Reader that needs patching against maliciously constructed PDF files. Targeted attacks against an unpatched flaw in Adobe Reader over recent weeks has stimulated interest in alternative PDF viewers, such as FoxIT.

However FoxIT is also vulnerable to the same type of threat, promoting the release of a security update addressing three security bugs in the software on Monday. The update to FoxIT defends against a JBIG2 symbol dictionary processing error, a stack-based buffer overflow flaw and a security authorization bypass bug.

http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader/security.htm

Stack-based Buffer Overflow
SUMMARY

Foxit PDF files include actions associated with different triggers. If an action (Open/Execute a file, Open a web link, etc.) is defined in the PDF files with an overly long filename argument and the trigger condition is satisfied, it will cause a stack-based buffer overflow.

AFFECTED SOFTWARE VERSION
Foxit Reader 3.0.

SOLUTION
Recommend all Foxit Reader users to please update their Foxit Reader 3.0, available here: http://www.foxitsoftware.com/downloads/

malef!c · 10 Mar 2009 at 17:16

So is foxit a proper FoxIT rep or in fact some hacker finding out who runs FoxIT so they can hack their box.

z0mbi3 · 12 Mar 2009 at 09:10

malef!c said:
So is foxit a proper FoxIT rep or in fact some hacker finding out who runs FoxIT so they can hack their box.

I'm pretty sure he/she is legit. It was well publisized that Foxit didn't believe they were susceptible to the exploit, until they realised they were wrong a couple of days ago

.

would have been nice if they could have posted back here to let us know though.

malef!c · 12 Mar 2009 at 09:57

Probably licking their wounds somewhere

Saying that I have been a FoxIT user for a long time - and have updated again!!