How severe is CVE-2021-38573?

CVE-2021-38573 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-38573 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (62nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-38573?

CVE-2021-38573 primarily affects Foxitsoftware Foxit Reader. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-38573?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2021-38573 published?

CVE-2021-38573 was published on 2021-08-11 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-38573

CVE-2021-38573 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Foxitsoftware Foxit Reader with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
CVSS v2: 7.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (62nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Foxitsoftware Foxit Reader
Published: 2021-08-11
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An issue was discovered in Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF before 10.1.4. It allows writing to arbitrary files because a CombineFiles pathname is not validated.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-38573?: An issue was discovered in Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF before 10.1.4. It allows writing to arbitrary files because a CombineFiles pathname is not validated.
How severe is CVE-2021-38573?: CVE-2021-38573 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-38573 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (62nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-38573?: CVE-2021-38573 primarily affects Foxitsoftware Foxit Reader. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-38573?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2021-38573 published?: CVE-2021-38573 was published on 2021-08-11 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.php

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:foxitsoftware:foxit_reader:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:foxitsoftware:phantompdf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*