CVE-2023-39542 — A code execution vulnerability exists in the Javascript saveAs API of Foxit Read

A code execution vulnerability exists in the Javascript saveAs API of Foxit Reader 12.1.3.15356. A specially crafted malformed file can create arbitrary files, which can lead to remote code execution. An attacker needs to trick the user into opening the malicious file to trigger

01What is this vulnerability?

A code execution vulnerability exists in the Javascript saveAs API of Foxit Reader 12.1.3.15356. A specially crafted malformed file can create arbitrary files, which can lead to remote code execution. An attacker needs to trick the user into opening the malicious file to trigger this vulnerability. Exploitation is also possible if a user visits a specially crafted, malicious site if the browser…

02Affected products

Vendor	Product	Versions
Foxit	Foxit Reader	12.1.3.15356

03Active exploitation status

Not currently listed on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. EPSS is the best forward-looking signal — see the EPSS row above.

04Recommended remediation

• Patch to a fixed version listed in the vendor advisory (see references below).
• Mitigate with WAF rules, network egress filters, or feature flags where the patch is not yet available.
• Hunt historical logs for exploitation indicators — see Detection signatures below.

05Technical details

For the full vendor write-up, exploit chains, and reference implementations, see the references list in section 09.

06Detection signatures

Open the Sigma generator with a pre-filled prompt for this CVE to draft a starting detection in your stack of choice:

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07Related CVEs

No directly-cited follow-up CVEs in the KB record for this advisory. The references list in section 09 carries the vendor cross-references.

08Timeline

• Published: 2023-11-27T15:25:12.044Z
• Last modified: 2025-11-04T19:17:44.282Z

09References

• talosintelligence.com — https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2023-1832