An issue was discovered in t1_check_unusual_charstring functions in writet1.c files in TeX Live before 2018-09-21.
An issue was discovered in t1_check_unusual_charstring functions in writet1.c files in TeX Live before 2018-09-21. A buffer overflow in the handling of Type 1 fonts allows arbitrary code execution when a malicious font is loaded by one of the vulnerable tools: pdflatex, pdftex, dvips, or luatex.
- Published
- Sep 23, 2018
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 2.1% · 81th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-119
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Report tools
Action score
32
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 2.1%
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for the hundreds of thousands of vulnerabilities in the database; 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 helpAffected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| tug | tex live | cpe:2.3:a:tug:tex_live |
| canonical | ubuntu linux | cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux |
| debian | debian linux | cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- canonical ubuntu linux14.04
- canonical ubuntu linux16.04
- canonical ubuntu linux18.04
- canonical ubuntu linux18.10
- debian debian linux8.0
- debian debian linux9.0
- tug tex livebefore 2018-09-21
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | texlive-bin | before 2018.20180907.48586-2 | 2018.20180907.48586-2 |
| Debian:8 | texlive-bin | before 2014.20140926.35254-6+deb8u1 | 2014.20140926.35254-6+deb8u1 |
| Debian:9 | texlive-bin | before 2016.20160513.41080.dfsg-2+deb9u1 | 2016.20160513.41080.dfsg-2+deb9u1 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | texlive | before 2021.20210325.svn34398-76.3 | 2021.20210325.svn34398-76.3 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive | before 2:2012-45.20130427_r30134.el7 | 2:2012-45.20130427_r30134.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-adjustbox | before 2:svn26555.0-45.el7 | 2:svn26555.0-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-adjustbox-doc | before 2:svn26555.0-45.el7 | 2:svn26555.0-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-ae | before 2:svn15878.1.4-45.el7 | 2:svn15878.1.4-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-ae-doc | before 2:svn15878.1.4-45.el7 | 2:svn15878.1.4-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-algorithms | before 2:svn15878.0.1-45.el7 | 2:svn15878.0.1-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-algorithms-doc | before 2:svn15878.0.1-45.el7 | 2:svn15878.0.1-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-amscls | before 2:svn29207.0-45.el7 | 2:svn29207.0-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-amscls-doc | before 2:svn29207.0-45.el7 | 2:svn29207.0-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-amsfonts | before 2:svn29208.3.04-45.el7 | 2:svn29208.3.04-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-amsfonts-doc | before 2:svn29208.3.04-45.el7 | 2:svn29208.3.04-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-amsmath | before 2:svn29327.2.14-45.el7 | 2:svn29327.2.14-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-amsmath-doc | before 2:svn29327.2.14-45.el7 | 2:svn29327.2.14-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-anysize | before 2:svn15878.0-45.el7 | 2:svn15878.0-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-anysize-doc | before 2:svn15878.0-45.el7 | 2:svn15878.0-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-appendix | before 2:svn15878.1.2b-45.el7 | 2:svn15878.1.2b-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-appendix-doc | before 2:svn15878.1.2b-45.el7 | 2:svn15878.1.2b-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-arabxetex | before 2:svn17470.v1.1.4-45.el7 | 2:svn17470.v1.1.4-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-arabxetex-doc | before 2:svn17470.v1.1.4-45.el7 | 2:svn17470.v1.1.4-45.el7 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | texlive-arphic | before 2:svn15878.0-45.el7 | 2:svn15878.0-45.el7 |
+96
Same product
tug: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2017-17513TeX Live through 20170524 does not validate strings before launching the program specified by the BROWSER environment variable, which might 35Monitor
- CVE-2010-0827Integer overflow in dvips in TeX Live 2009 and earlier, and teTeX, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) 28Monitor
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:texlive-bin | 2018.20180907.48586-2 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:texlive | 2021.20210325.svn34398-76.3 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:texlive | 2:2012-45.20130427_r30134.el7 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:texlive-ae | 2:svn15878.1.4-45.el7 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:texlive-algorithms | 2:svn15878.0.1-45.el7 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:texlive-amscls | 2:svn29207.0-45.el7 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:texlive-amsfonts | 2:svn29208.3.04-45.el7 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:texlive-amsmath | 2:svn29327.2.14-45.el7 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:texlive-anysize | 2:svn15878.0-45.el7 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:texlive-attachfile | 2:svn21866.v1.5b-45.el7 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:texlive-avantgar | 2:svn28614.0-45.el7 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:texlive-babel | 2:svn24756.3.8m-45.el7 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:texlive-babelbib | 2:svn25245.1.31-45.el7 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:texlive-base | 2:2012-45.20130427_r30134.el7 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:texlive | 2013.20130620-22.3.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP3 | Package 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.
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.
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
- 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 BufferCVSS 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.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Buffer Overflow via Environment VariablesCAPEC-10likelihood: High · High
- Overflow BuffersCAPEC-100likelihood: High · Very High
- Buffer ManipulationCAPEC-123likelihood: High · Very High
- Client-side Injection-induced Buffer OverflowCAPEC-14likelihood: Medium · High
- Filter Failure through Buffer OverflowCAPEC-24likelihood: High · High
- MIME ConversionCAPEC-42likelihood: High · High
- Overflow Binary Resource FileCAPEC-44likelihood: High · Very High
- Buffer Overflow via Symbolic LinksCAPEC-45likelihood: High · High
ATT&CK techniques
—
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- github.com/TeX-Live/texlive-source/commit/6ed0077520e2b0da1fd060c7f88db7b2e6068e4c
- lists.debian.org/debian-security-announce/2018/msg00230.html
- usn.ubuntu.com/3788-1/
- usn.ubuntu.com/3788-2/
- www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4299
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.