# CVE-2021-38572: Path traversal in n/a

> An attacker can write to arbitrary files via the extractPages pathname in Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF, potentially modifying system files.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 11 Aug 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j4gm-v3h2-cv35

## What is CVE-2021-38572?

CVE-2021-38572 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Foxitsoftware Foxit Reader, published on 11 Aug 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An issue was discovered in Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF before 10.1.4. It allows writing to arbitrary files because the extractPages pathname is not validated.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-38572?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Foxitsoftware Foxit Reader, Foxitsoftware Phantompdf.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-38572?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-38572 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-38572 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-38572 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Foxitsoftware Foxit Reader

- [CVE-2021-33793](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33793/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-38568](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38568/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-38573](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38573/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-38574](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38574/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-26534](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-26534/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-38572 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-38572 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Foxitsoftware Foxit Reader, published on 11 Aug 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-38572 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Foxitsoftware Foxit Reader. 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-2021-38572/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38572/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-38572
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-38572
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38572

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38572/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.