CVE-2025-0903
Published: 11 February 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-0903 is a high-severity Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-122) 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 31.9% 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 SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-16 (Memory Protection).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Directly mitigates the heap-based buffer overflow by requiring identification, reporting, and timely patching of the flaw in PDF-XChange Editor's RTF parsing.
Provides memory protections like DEP, ASLR, and stack canaries that prevent or complicate remote code execution from heap buffer overflows during RTF file parsing.
Mandates validation of user-supplied data lengths prior to copying into heap buffers, directly addressing the lack of bounds checking in RTF parsing.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Heap buffer overflow in client-side RTF parser directly enables T1203 (client application exploitation) and T1204.002 (malicious file execution) for RCE.
NVD Description
PDF-XChange Editor RTF File Parsing Heap-based Buffer Overflow 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…
more
visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the parsing of RTF files. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a fixed-length heap-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-25421.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2025-0903 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in the RTF file parsing component of PDF-XChange Editor. The flaw stems from a lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it into a fixed-length heap buffer, enabling remote code execution on affected installations. It is associated with CWE-122 and CWE-787, and carries 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 inducing a target user to visit a malicious webpage or open a malicious RTF file using PDF-XChange Editor, as user interaction is required. No privileges are needed on the attacker's part. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current process.
The Zero Day Initiative advisory (ZDI-25-070), canonized as ZDI-CAN-25421, provides further details; security practitioners should consult https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-25-070/ for mitigation guidance and patch information.
Details
- CWE(s)