Foxit has recently updated its PDF Reader to version 2024.2.3 for Windows, addressing several critical security vulnerabilities. These flaws, classified as high-risk, affect both Foxit PDF Reader and Editor across various platforms, including Windows and macOS. Although no known attacks have exploited these vulnerabilities, the update is crucial for maintaining system security.
The affected versions include Foxit PDF Editor 2024.2.2 for macOS and versions 2024.2.2 and earlier for Windows. Notably, five key vulnerabilities, primarily use-after-free issues, have been patched in this update. These vulnerabilities, if exploited, could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code through malicious PDFs. Despite the update being available for over a week, the official release for the Windows version was only announced on August 9th.
Foxit PDF Reader has gained popularity as a lightweight alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader, although its increasing feature set has led to a larger installation footprint, now exceeding 140MB. For those seeking a truly lightweight PDF reader, Sumatra PDF remains a viable option with a minimal download size of under 8MB. Additionally, modern web browsers such as Chrome, Edge, and Firefox offer basic PDF viewing capabilities, which can be sufficient for simple tasks.