# CVE-2020-11493: Information disclosure in n/a

> Attackers can obtain sensitive information from uninitialized objects in Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF via crafted PDF files.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 4 Sep 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3qpg-r423-v8v2

## What is CVE-2020-11493?

CVE-2020-11493 is a high-severity vulnerability in Foxitsoftware Phantompdf, published on 4 Sep 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

In Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF before 10.0.1, and PhantomPDF before 9.7.3, attackers can obtain sensitive information about an uninitialized object because of direct transformation from PDF Object to Stream without concern for a crafted XObject.

Weakness: CWE-345 (Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-11493?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Foxitsoftware Phantompdf, Foxitsoftware Reader.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-11493?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-11493 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-11493 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-11493 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- https://github.com/fengjixuchui/CVE-2020-11493 (github_poc): https://github.com/fengjixuchui/CVE-2020-11493

## Other vulnerabilities in Foxitsoftware Phantompdf

- [CVE-2018-21242](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-21242/): An issue was discovered in Foxit PhantomPDF before 8.3.6. (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-21244](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-21244/): File upload in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-20825](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-20825/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-20827](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-20827/): Denial of service in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-20830](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-20830/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-11493 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-11493 is a high-severity vulnerability in Foxitsoftware Phantompdf, published on 4 Sep 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-11493 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Foxitsoftware Phantompdf. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11493/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11493/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-11493
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-11493
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-11493

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11493/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.