Interpreter crash via uninitialized resolution data
Published Aug 22, 2023 · Updated Oct 4, 2024
Heap buffer overflow in Artifex Ghostscript 9.50 allows context-dependent attackers to crash the interpreter with a crafted PDF file. When HWResolution is absent, clj_media_size falls back to res but later divides HWSize values using unset fres.data elements instead of res. A victim must open the file with a Color LaserJet output device such as cljet5pr; the public proof of concept demonstrates an out-of-bounds read and crash, not code execution.
Summary
What happened
Heap buffer overflow in Artifex Ghostscript 9.50 allows context-dependent attackers to crash the interpreter with a crafted PDF file. When HWResolution is absent, clj_media_size falls back to res but later divides HWSize values using unset fres.data elements instead of res. A victim must open the file with a Color LaserJet output device such as cljet5pr; the public proof of concept demonstrates an out-of-bounds read and crash, not code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2020-21890
- Published
- Aug 22, 2023
- Updated
- Oct 4, 2024
- Vendor
- Unknown vendor
- Product
- Unknown product
- Classifications
- CWE-787, T1204.002
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 22, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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What is affected?
Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.
Published CVSS scores
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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.
Public exploit references
- Ghostscript Bug 701846 proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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