Description
A local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the updater of Foxit PDF Editor/Reader due to unsafe loading of dynamic-link libraries from a user-writable directory during high-privilege operations. A local attacker could exploit this issue to execute code with elevated privileges.
Published: 2026-09-23
Score: 8.8 High
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: Local Privilege Escalation
Action: Immediate Patch
AI Analysis

Impact

A vulnerability exists in the updater component of Foxit PDF Editor and Reader that allows an attacker with local access to place a malicious DLL in a user‑writable directory. Because the updater loads DLLs from that directory during high‑privilege operations, the malicious DLL can execute with elevated privileges, effectively granting the attacker full administrative access to the affected machine.

Affected Systems

Foxit Software Inc.'s Foxit PDF Editor and Foxit PDF Reader are affected. No specific product versions are listed in the CNA data, so all currently installed instances are potentially vulnerable until a patch is applied.

Risk and Exploitability

The flaw scores a high CVSS value of 8.8, indicating extensive impact if exploited. The EPSS score is below 1%, suggesting the likelihood of exploitation is very low at present, and the vulnerability is not in CISA’s KEV catalog. Nonetheless, because the attack vector requires local user access, any user who can write to the update directory can trigger execution, making the risk real for environments with untrusted local users.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on September 23, 2026 at 14:53 UTC.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

  • Install the latest Foxit PDF Editor/Reader update that removes the unsafe DLL loading path.
  • Configure the file system so that updater directories are not writable by standard users, ensuring only administrators can modify them.
  • If an update is not yet available, restrict the DLL search path or disable loading DLLs from user‑writable locations by adjusting the updater configuration or registry settings.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on September 23, 2026 at 14:53 UTC.

Tracking

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Advisories

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History

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Foxit
Foxit pdf Editor
Foxit pdf Reader
Microsoft
Microsoft windows
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:foxit:pdf_editor:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:foxit:pdf_reader:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Foxit
Foxit pdf Editor
Foxit pdf Reader
Microsoft
Microsoft windows

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 09:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Foxitsoftware
Foxitsoftware foxit Pdf Editor
Foxitsoftware foxit Reader
Vendors & Products Foxitsoftware
Foxitsoftware foxit Pdf Editor
Foxitsoftware foxit Reader

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 15:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Wed, 23 Sep 2026 11:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the updater of Foxit PDF Editor/Reader due to unsafe loading of dynamic-link libraries from a user-writable directory during high-privilege operations. A local attacker could exploit this issue to execute code with elevated privileges.
Title Security Vulnerability Report – Foxit PDF Editor/Reader Updater DLL Search Path Hijacking
Weaknesses CWE-427
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H'}


Subscriptions

Foxit Pdf Editor Pdf Reader
Foxitsoftware Foxit Pdf Editor Foxit Reader
Microsoft Windows
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Foxit

Published:

Updated: 2026-09-23T14:40:38.742Z

Reserved: 2026-09-15T07:34:43.393Z

Link: CVE-2026-91803

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-09-23T14:40:36.277Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2026-09-23T08:17:12.363

Modified: 2026-10-08T14:05:19.910

Link: CVE-2026-91803

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-09-24T09:12:20Z

Weaknesses
  • CWE-427

    Uncontrolled Search Path Element