CVE-2023-33240: Foxit PDF Reader (12.1.1.15289 and earlier) and Foxit PDF Editor (12.1.1.15289 and all previous 12.x versions, 11.2.5.53785 and all previous
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 31/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.15% (FIRST EPSS).
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: n/a n/a 12.1.2.
- Mentioned 1 time in Turkish national cyber security advisories (siberguvenlik.gov.tr).
Low priority for now. Upgrade to n/a n/a 12.1.2 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
Foxit PDF Reader (12.1.1.15289 and earlier) and Foxit PDF Editor (12.1.1.15289 and all previous 12.x versions, 11.2.5.53785 and all previous 11.x versions, and 10.1.11.37866 and earlier) on Windows allows Local Privilege Escalation when installed to a non-default directory because unprivileged users have access to an executable file of a system service. This is fixed in 12.1.2.
- Published
- May 19, 2023
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.1% · 4th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-276
Report tools
Action score
31
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.1%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| foxit | pdf editor | cpe:2.3:a:foxit:pdf_editor |
| foxit | pdf reader | cpe:2.3:a:foxit:pdf_reader |
| microsoft | windows | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- foxit pdf editorup to 10.1.11.37866 inclusive
- foxit pdf editor11.0.0 and later · up to 11.2.5.53785 inclusive
- foxit pdf editor12.0.0 and later · up to 12.1.1.15289 inclusive
- foxit pdf readerup to 12.1.1.15289 inclusive
Same product
foxit: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2023-27363Foxit PDF Reader exportXFAData Exposed Dangerous Method Remote Code Execution Vulnerability44Plan
- CVE-2024-25938A use-after-free vulnerability exists in the way Foxit Reader 2024.1.0.23997 handles a Barcode widget.40Plan
- CVE-2024-25648A use-after-free vulnerability exists in the way Foxit Reader 2024.1.0.23997 handles a ComboBox widget.40Plan
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2022-43641Mar 29, 2023 · This vulnerability allows remote attackers to disclose sensitive information on affected installations of Foxit PDF Reader 12.0.1.12430.31Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2022-43649Mar 29, 2023 · This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Foxit PDF Reader 12.0.2.12465.31Monitor
- Later →CVE-2024-25858Mar 5, 2024 · In Foxit PDF Reader before 2024.1 and PDF Editor before 2024.1, code execution via JavaScript could occur because of an unoptimized prompt m33Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| n/a n/a | 12.1.2 · description | Vendor (CNA) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
National notice (Türkiye Cybersecurity Directorate / USOM)
Official security notices citing this record; remediation advice is on the agency's page.
- TR-23-0280 · May 22, 2023(Foxit Güvenlik Bildirimi)
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-276 · Incorrect Default PermissionsCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
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References
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.