CVE-2016-8856
Foxit Reader for Mac 2.1.0.0804 and earlier and Foxit Reader for Linux 2.1.0.0805 and earlier suffered from a vulnerability where weak file permissions could be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary code.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (0.82%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
Foxit Reader for Mac 2.1.0.0804 and earlier and Foxit Reader for Linux 2.1.0.0805 and earlier suffered from a vulnerability where weak file permissions could be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary code. After the installation, Foxit Reader's core files were world-writable by default, allowing an attacker to overwrite them with backdoor code, which when executed by privileged user would result in Privilege Escalation, Code Execution, or both.
- CVSS 3.0
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 0.82% probability · 57th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-275
- Affected
- foxitsoftware/reader
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 0.8% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93608Technical Description, VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037101
- https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.phpPatch, Vendor Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93608Technical Description, VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037101
- https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.phpPatch, Vendor Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.