PDF-XChange Editor createDataObject Directory Traversal Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

published 2024-05-03 2 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2023-43229

cvss: 7.8; version 3.0, CNA
cisa kev: Not listed; not in CISA's catalog
epss: 0.7%; EPSS 0.7% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 54%
public exploits: 0; none known

PDF-XChange Editor createDataObject Directory Traversal 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 or open a malicious file.

The specific flaw exists within the createDataObject method. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of a user-supplied path prior to using it in file operations. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current user. Was ZDI-CAN-20594.

Patch / fix

fixed in 1

pdf-xchange pdf-xchange_editor 9.5.368, 10.0.0.1

CISA SSVC

Exploitation: none
Automatable: no
Technical impact: total
Assessed: 2 y ago (2024-05-06)

Exploit prediction

0.73% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 54% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

CVSS scores

assigned by	version	score	vector
CNA	3.0	7.8	CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD	3.1	7.8	CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

PDF-XChange PDF-XChange Editor
pdf-xchange pdf-xchange_editor

Classification

Weakness

CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory

References

zerodayinitiative.com /advisories/ZDI-23-1147/
third-party-advisory

Sources

CVE List CVE-2023-39506
NVD CVE-2023-39506

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.

Summary