Foxit PDF Reader, a popular alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader, has just rolled out version 2024.2.3 for Windows. This update is critical as it addresses several high-risk security vulnerabilities that were identified in previous versions. Fortunately, there have been no reported exploits in the wild that take advantage of these flaws.
According to Foxit’s security bulletins, all versions of Foxit Reader and Editor up to 2024.2.2 for Windows are susceptible to these vulnerabilities, along with Foxit PDF Editor 2024.2.2 for macOS and version 13.12 and older for Windows. The newly released version 2024.2.3 effectively resolves these issues.
The update focuses on fixing five specific vulnerabilities reported by external security researchers. Most of these are use-after-free flaws, which could potentially be exploited by malicious PDFs to execute arbitrary code on the affected systems. While the updates have been available for over a week, Foxit only made the update for the Windows version of Foxit PDF Reader public on August 9th.
For users seeking a more lightweight option, the open-source Sumatra PDF remains a solid alternative, boasting a download size of under 8MB. For simple PDF viewing, modern web browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Firefox also offer built-in solutions that are sufficient for basic needs.
