The PS Interpreter in Ghostscript 9.18 and 9.20 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted userparams.
- Published
- Aug 7, 2017
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 23.5% · 98th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-20
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Report tools
Action score
42
Plan
Add it to your regular patch cycle.
- CVSS
- 35 / 40 · 8.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 7 / 30 · 23.5%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| artifex | ghostscript | cpe:2.3:a:artifex:ghostscript |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- artifex ghostscript9.18
- artifex ghostscript9.20
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | ghostscript | before 9.19~dfsg-3.1 | 9.19~dfsg-3.1 |
| Debian:7 | ghostscript | before 9.05~dfsg-6.3+deb7u3 | 9.05~dfsg-6.3+deb7u3 |
| Debian:8 | ghostscript | before 9.06~dfsg-2+deb8u3 | 9.06~dfsg-2+deb8u3 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | ghostscript | before 9.20-2.1 | 9.20-2.1 |
Same product
artifex: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2017-8291Artifex Ghostscript through 2017-04-26 allows -dSAFER bypass and remote command execution via .rsdparams type confusion with a "/OutputFile KEV90Now
- CVE-2021-3781A trivial sandbox (enabled with the `-dSAFER` option) escape flaw was found in the ghostscript interpreter by injecting a specially crafted 64This week
- CVE-2018-16509An issue was discovered in Artifex Ghostscript before 9.24.59Plan
- CVE-2019-6116In Artifex Ghostscript through 9.26, ephemeral or transient procedures can allow access to system operators, leading to remote code executio43Plan
- CVE-2019-14813A flaw was found in ghostscript, versions 9.x before 9.50, in the setsystemparams procedure where it did not properly secure its privileged 42Plan
- CVE-2023-28879In Artifex Ghostscript through 10.01.0, there is a buffer overflow leading to potential corruption of data internal to the PostScript interp41Plan
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| debian:ghostscript | 9.19~dfsg-3.1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:ghostscript | 9.20-2.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
Weaponized
A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.
Evidence
- Metasploit module ×1
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Metasploit module | exploit/unix/fileformat/imagemagick_delegateImageMagick Delegate Arbitrary Command Executionexploit | 2016-05-03 |
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.
- Metasploit-462 d
- Published
- TodaySep 30, 2026+3341 d
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 researchersFinders, 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
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet 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
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-20 · Improper Input ValidationCVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/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.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Buffer Overflow via Environment VariablesCAPEC-10likelihood: High · High
- Server Side Include (SSI) InjectionCAPEC-101likelihood: High · High
- Cross Zone ScriptingCAPEC-104likelihood: Medium · High
- Command Line Execution through SQL InjectionCAPEC-108likelihood: Low · Very High
- Object Relational Mapping InjectionCAPEC-109likelihood: Low · High
- SQL Injection through SOAP Parameter TamperingCAPEC-110likelihood: High · Very High
- Double EncodingCAPEC-120likelihood: Low · Medium
- Subverting Environment Variable ValuesCAPEC-13likelihood: High · Very High
ATT&CK techniques
- Obfuscated Files or InformationT1027
- Masquerading: Invalid Code SignatureT1036.001
- Steal Web Session CookieT1539
- Subvert Trust Controls: Code SigningT1553.002
- Impair Defenses:Impair Command History LoggingT1562.003
- Hijack Execution Flow:Dynamic Linker HijackingT1574.006
- Hijack Execution Flow:Path Interception by PATH Environment VariableT1574.007
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
- Fix✗ → ✓
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References
- git.ghostscript.com/?p=user/chrisl/ghostpdl.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=6d444c273da5499a4cd72f21cb6d4c9a5256807d
- www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3691
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/10/19/6
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/95332
- bugs.ghostscript.com/show_bug.cgi?id=697178
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/201702-31
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.