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NVD / CVE Program· CNA mitre

CVE-2018-10194: The set_text_distance function in devices/vector/gdevpdts.c in the pdfwrite component in Artifex Ghostscript through 9.22 does not prevent…

HighCVSS 7.8 · v3.0—No exploit Fix available

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 32/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 2% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 81.5% of all records.
  • 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.
  • Fixed version: ghostscript (Alpine:v3.10) 9.23-r0; wireshark (Alpine:v3.10) 2.4.6-r0; wireshark (Alpine:v3.5) 2.2.14-r0.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to ghostscript (Alpine:v3.10) 9.23-r0; wireshark (Alpine:v3.10) 2.4.6-r0; wireshark (Alpine:v3.5) 2.2.14-r0 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

The set_text_distance function in devices/vector/gdevpdts.c in the pdfwrite component in Artifex Ghostscript through 9.22 does not prevent overflows in text-positioning calculation, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted PDF document.

Published
Apr 18, 2018
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
2.0% · 81th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

32

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
1 / 30 · 2.0%

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
artifexghostscript
canonicalubuntu linux
debiandebian linux
redhatenterprise linux desktop
redhatenterprise linux server
redhatenterprise linux server aus
redhatenterprise linux server eus
redhatenterprise linux server tus
redhatenterprise linux workstation

Affected versions

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

  • artifex ghostscriptup to 9.22 inclusive
  • canonical ubuntu linux14.04
  • canonical ubuntu linux16.04
  • canonical ubuntu linux17.10
  • canonical ubuntu linux18.04
  • debian debian linux7.0
  • redhat enterprise linux desktop7.0
  • redhat enterprise linux server7.0
+5 more rows
  • redhat enterprise linux server aus7.7
  • redhat enterprise linux server eus7.5
  • redhat enterprise linux server eus7.7
  • redhat enterprise linux server tus7.7
  • redhat enterprise linux workstation7.0

Package-level exposure

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

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Alpine:v3.10ghostscriptbefore 9.23-r09.23-r0
Alpine:v3.10wiresharkbefore 2.4.6-r02.4.6-r0
Alpine:v3.5wiresharkbefore 2.2.14-r02.2.14-r0
Debian:12ghostscriptbefore 9.22~dfsg-2.19.22~dfsg-2.1
Debian:7ghostscriptbefore 9.05~dfsg-6.3+deb7u89.05~dfsg-6.3+deb7u8
openSUSE:Tumbleweedghostscriptbefore 9.54.0-2.29.54.0-2.2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientghostscriptbefore 0:9.07-29.el7_5.20:9.07-29.el7_5.2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientghostscript-cupsbefore 0:9.07-29.el7_5.20:9.07-29.el7_5.2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientghostscript-debuginfobefore 0:9.07-29.el7_5.20:9.07-29.el7_5.2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientghostscript-develbefore 0:9.07-29.el7_5.20:9.07-29.el7_5.2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientghostscript-docbefore 0:9.07-29.el7_5.20:9.07-29.el7_5.2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientghostscript-gtkbefore 0:9.07-29.el7_5.20:9.07-29.el7_5.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP3ghostscriptbefore 9.15-23.10.29.15-23.10.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15ghostscriptbefore 9.23-3.3.19.23-3.3.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4ghostscript-librarybefore 8.62-32.47.10.18.62-32.47.10.1

Same product

artifex: all records

Other 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…KEV
    90Now
  • 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-2016-7976The PS Interpreter in Ghostscript 9.18 and 9.20 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted userparams.
    60This week

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2017-9835Jul 26, 2017 · The gs_alloc_ref_array function in psi/ialloc.c in Artifex Ghostscript 9.21 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service…
    32Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2017-11714Jul 28, 2017 · psi/ztoken.c in Artifex Ghostscript 9.21 mishandles references to the scanner state structure, which allows remote attackers to cause a…
    32Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2018-11645Jun 1, 2018 · psi/zfile.c in Artifex Ghostscript before 9.21rc1 permits the status command even if -dSAFER is used, which might allow remote attackers to…
    22Monitor

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
alpine:ghostscript9.23-r0 · Alpine:v3.10Package registry (OSV)
alpine:wireshark2.2.14-r0 · Alpine:v3.5Package registry (OSV)
alpine:wireshark2.4.6-r0 · Alpine:v3.10Package registry (OSV)
debian:ghostscript9.22~dfsg-2.1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:ghostscript9.54.0-2.2 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript0:9.07-29.el7_5.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript-cups0:9.07-29.el7_5.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript-debuginfo0:9.07-29.el7_5.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript-devel0:9.07-29.el7_5.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript-doc0:9.07-29.el7_5.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript-gtk0:9.07-29.el7_5.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientPackage registry (OSV)
suse:ghostscript9.15-23.10.2 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP3Package registry (OSV)
suse:ghostscript-library8.62-32.47.10.1 · 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).

Not on record for this CVE: patch commit or PR link · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.

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

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-119 · Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/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.

ATT&CK techniques

—

References

Show all references (6 more)

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

All records