CVE-2019-25059

Code execution via exposed .completefont operator

Published Apr 25, 2022 · Updated Aug 5, 2024

Improper access control in Artifex Ghostscript 9.26 and earlier allows context-dependent attackers to execute code via crafted PostScript. The .completefont operator remains defined after initialization, and procedures that invoke it are not execute-only, leaving a privileged font operation reachable from untrusted input. A user or automated document workflow must process the crafted file; exploitation can access arbitrary files, run programs, or crash the interpreter outside -dSAFER restrictions.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability1.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper access control in Artifex Ghostscript 9.26 and earlier allows context-dependent attackers to execute code via crafted PostScript. The .completefont operator remains defined after initialization, and procedures that invoke it are not execute-only, leaving a privileged font operation reachable from untrusted input. A user or automated document workflow must process the crafted file; exploitation can access arbitrary files, run programs, or crash the interpreter outside -dSAFER restrictions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2019-25059
Published
Apr 25, 2022
Updated
Aug 5, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 25, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.8Canonical UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.8NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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