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NVD / CVE Program· CNA redhat

CVE-2020-27792: Ghostscript: heap buffer over write vulnerability in ghostscript's lp8000_print_page() in gdevlp8k.c

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 28/100)

  • 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: 0.46% (FIRST EPSS).
  • 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 (AlmaLinux:8) 9.27-16.el8_10; ghostscript-doc (AlmaLinux:8) 9.27-16.el8_10; ghostscript-tools-dvipdf (AlmaLinux:8) 9.27-16.el8_10.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to ghostscript (AlmaLinux:8) 9.27-16.el8_10; ghostscript-doc (AlmaLinux:8) 9.27-16.el8_10; ghostscript-tools-dvipdf (AlmaLinux:8) 9.27-16.el8_10 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

A heap-based buffer overwrite vulnerability was found in GhostScript's lp8000_print_page() function in the gdevlp8k.c file. This flaw allows an attacker to trick a user into opening a crafted PDF file, triggering the heap buffer overflow that could lead to memory corruption or a denial of service.

HighCVSS 7.1 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Aug 19, 2022
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
0.4% · 40th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

28

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
28 / 40 · 7.1 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.4%

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
7.1
CNA · redhat
7.1
agree

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

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 you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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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
debiandebian linux

Affected versions

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

  • artifex ghostscriptup to 9.50 inclusive
  • debian debian linux10.0

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.

  • Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6

    • all versionsunknown

  • Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7

    • all versionsunknown

  • Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

    • 0:9.27-16.el8_10 and laternot affected · rpm

  • Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9

    • all versionsunknown

Package-level exposure

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

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
AlmaLinux:8ghostscriptbefore 9.27-16.el8_109.27-16.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8ghostscript-docbefore 9.27-16.el8_109.27-16.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8ghostscript-tools-dvipdfbefore 9.27-16.el8_109.27-16.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8ghostscript-tools-fontsbefore 9.27-16.el8_109.27-16.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8ghostscript-tools-printingbefore 9.27-16.el8_109.27-16.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8ghostscript-x11before 9.27-16.el8_109.27-16.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8libgsbefore 9.27-16.el8_109.27-16.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8libgs-develbefore 9.27-16.el8_109.27-16.el8_10
Debian:10ghostscriptbefore 9.27~dfsg-2+deb10u69.27~dfsg-2+deb10u6
Debian:12ghostscriptbefore 9.51~dfsg-19.51~dfsg-1
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamghostscriptbefore 0:9.27-16.el8_100:9.27-16.el8_10
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamghostscript-debuginfobefore 0:9.27-16.el8_100:9.27-16.el8_10
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamghostscript-debugsourcebefore 0:9.27-16.el8_100:9.27-16.el8_10
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamghostscript-gtk-debuginfobefore 0:9.27-16.el8_100:9.27-16.el8_10
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamghostscript-x11before 0:9.27-16.el8_100:9.27-16.el8_10
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamghostscript-x11-debuginfobefore 0:9.27-16.el8_100:9.27-16.el8_10
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamlibgsbefore 0:9.27-16.el8_100:9.27-16.el8_10
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamlibgs-debuginfobefore 0:9.27-16.el8_100:9.27-16.el8_10
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crbghostscript-docbefore 0:9.27-16.el8_100:9.27-16.el8_10
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crbghostscript-tools-dvipdfbefore 0:9.27-16.el8_100:9.27-16.el8_10
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crbghostscript-tools-fontsbefore 0:9.27-16.el8_100:9.27-16.el8_10
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crbghostscript-tools-printingbefore 0:9.27-16.el8_100:9.27-16.el8_10
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crblibgs-develbefore 0:9.27-16.el8_100:9.27-16.el8_10
Rocky Linux:8ghostscriptbefore 0:9.27-16.el8_100:9.27-16.el8_10

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-2019-25059Apr 25, 2022 · Artifex Ghostscript through 9.26 mishandles .completefont.
    31Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2022-2085Jun 16, 2022 · A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability was found in Ghostscript, which occurs when it tries to render a large number of bits in memory.
    22Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2023-28879Mar 31, 2023 · In Artifex Ghostscript through 10.01.0, there is a buffer overflow leading to potential corruption of data internal to the PostScript interp
    41Plan

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
almalinux:ghostscript9.27-16.el8_10 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:ghostscript-doc9.27-16.el8_10 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:ghostscript-tools-dvipdf9.27-16.el8_10 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:ghostscript-tools-fonts9.27-16.el8_10 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:ghostscript-tools-printing9.27-16.el8_10 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:ghostscript-x119.27-16.el8_10 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:libgs9.27-16.el8_10 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:libgs-devel9.27-16.el8_10 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
debian:ghostscript9.51~dfsg-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript0:9.27-16.el8_10 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript-debuginfo0:9.27-16.el8_10 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript-debugsource0:9.27-16.el8_10 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript-doc0:9.27-16.el8_10 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crbPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript-gtk-debuginfo0:9.27-16.el8_10 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript-tools-dvipdf0:9.27-16.el8_10 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crbPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript-tools-fonts0:9.27-16.el8_10 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crbPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript-tools-printing0:9.27-16.el8_10 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::crbPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript-x110:9.27-16.el8_10 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:ghostscript-x11-debuginfo0:9.27-16.el8_10 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:libgs0:9.27-16.el8_10 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:libgs-debuginfo0:9.27-16.el8_10 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
rocky linux:ghostscript0:9.27-16.el8_10 · Rocky Linux:8Package 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
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
None
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:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/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

—

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (6 more)

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

All records