CVE-2025-0899
Published: 11 February 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-0899 is a high-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability in Pdf-Xchange Pdf-Xchange Editor. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Client Execution (T1203); ranked in the top 37.9% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 RA-5 (Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2025-0899 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the AcroForm handling code of PDF-XChange Editor. The flaw stems from insufficient validation of object existence before performing operations, allowing memory corruption that leads to arbitrary code execution within the context of the affected process. The issue was originally reported as ZDI-CAN-25349 and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8.
Remote attackers can exploit the vulnerability by supplying a malicious PDF or directing a victim to a malicious page. Successful exploitation requires user interaction, after which an attacker gains the ability to execute arbitrary code on the target system.
The sole public reference is the Zero Day Initiative advisory ZDI-25-061, which documents the issue but provides no additional mitigation details in the available record.
EPSS scores for this CVE rose from a low baseline to a peak of 0.0146 on 2026-03-14 before receding to the current value of 0.0042, indicating a temporary increase in exploitation interest after disclosure.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-1915
Vulnerability details
PDF-XChange Editor AcroForm Use-After-Free Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of PDF-XChange Editor. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page…
more
or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the handling of AcroForms. The issue results from the lack of validating the existence of an object prior to performing operations on the object. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-25349.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Use-after-free in PDF client app directly enables arbitrary code execution upon opening malicious file (T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution + T1204.002 User Execution: Malicious File).
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly remediates the use-after-free vulnerability in PDF-XChange Editor's AcroForm handling by requiring timely installation of vendor-provided patches.
Implements memory protection mechanisms such as ASLR, DEP, and stack canaries that mitigate exploitation of use-after-free flaws even if unpatched.
Enables detection of systems affected by CVE-2025-0899 through vulnerability scanning for outdated PDF-XChange Editor installations.