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 38.3% 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).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
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Enables detection of systems affected by CVE-2025-0899 through vulnerability scanning for outdated PDF-XChange Editor installations.
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).
NVD Description
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.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2025-0899 is a Use-After-Free vulnerability (CWE-416) affecting PDF-XChange Editor, specifically within its handling of AcroForms. The flaw arises from the software's failure to validate the existence of an object before performing operations on it, which can lead to remote code execution on affected installations. Published on 2025-02-11, it has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability by luring targets to visit a malicious webpage or open a malicious PDF file, as user interaction is required. Upon successful exploitation, attackers achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the PDF-XChange Editor process.
The Zero Day Initiative advisory ZDI-25-061, originally tracking the issue as ZDI-CAN-25349, provides further details on the vulnerability.
Details
- CWE(s)