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CVE-2016-9601· NVD / CVE Program· CNA redhat

ghostscript before version 9.21 is vulnerable to a heap based buffer overflow that was found in the ghostscript jbig2_decode_gray_scale_imag

ghostscript before version 9.21 is vulnerable to a heap based buffer overflow that was found in the ghostscript jbig2_decode_gray_scale_image function which is used to decode halftone segments in a JBIG2 image. A document (PostScript or PDF) with an embedded, specially crafted, jbig2 image could trigger a segmentation fault in ghostscript.

MediumCVSS 5.5 · v3.0—No exploit Fix available
Published
Apr 23, 2018
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
1.7% · 77th percentile
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Report tools

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Action score

23

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
1 / 30 · 1.7%

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
5.5
CNA · redhat
5.3
0.2 point gap

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Affected systems

VendorProduct
artifexgpl ghostscript
artifexjbig2dec
debiandebian linux

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • artifex gpl ghostscriptbefore 9.21
  • artifex jbig2decup to 0.13 inclusive
  • debian debian linux8.0
  • debian debian linux9.0

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (redhat). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • unspecified ghostscript

    • ghostscript 0.14affected

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12jbig2decbefore 0.13-40.13-4
Debian:7jbig2decbefore 0.13-4~deb7u10.13-4~deb7u1
Debian:8jbig2decbefore 0.13-4~deb8u10.13-4~deb8u1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP1ghostscriptbefore 9.15-22.19.15-22.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP1ghostscriptbefore 9.15-20.19.15-20.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4ghostscript-librarybefore 8.62-32.47.10.18.62-32.47.10.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4ghostscript-librarybefore 8.62-32.47.7.18.62-32.47.7.1

Same product

artifex: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2010-1869Stack-based buffer overflow in the parser function in GhostScript 8.70 and 8.64 allows context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code
    40Plan
  • CVE-2012-4875Heap-based buffer overflow in gdevwpr2.c in Ghostscript 9.04, when processing the OutputFile device parameter, allows user-assisted remote a
    38Monitor
  • CVE-2010-1628Ghostscript 8.64, 8.70, and possibly other versions allows context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code via a PostScript file conta
    38Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Debian:jbig2dec0.13-4 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
SUSE:ghostscript9.15-20.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP1Package registry (OSV)
SUSE:ghostscript-library8.62-32.47.7.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • A user must open a link or visit a page.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
none
Integrity
none
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-190 · Integer Overflow or Wraparound

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

ATT&CK techniques

—

Noroxi analysis

No Noroxi analysis for this record yet

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Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

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References

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records