CVE-2021-3781Network attack vector

Command execution via incomplete %pipe% permission check

Published Feb 16, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Sandbox escape in Artifex Ghostscript 9.50, 9.52, 9.53.3, and 9.54.0 allows attackers to execute commands via a crafted document. The %pipe% device checks only the filename substring after the device specifier, letting a crafted pipe command abuse permitted temporary-directory access. Exploitation requires -dSAFER on a Unix-like host and document processing; commands run with the interpreter's privileges, with the worst effects requiring root.

CVSS severity9.9
Critical
EPSS probability83.91%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Sandbox escape in Artifex Ghostscript 9.50, 9.52, 9.53.3, and 9.54.0 allows attackers to execute commands via a crafted document. The %pipe% device checks only the filename substring after the device specifier, letting a crafted pipe command abuse permitted temporary-directory access. Exploitation requires -dSAFER on a Unix-like host and document processing; commands run with the interpreter's privileges, with the worst effects requiring root.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3781
Published
Feb 16, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Artifex Software, Inc.
Product
Ghostscript
Classifications
CWE-78, CWE-20, T1059.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 16, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=ghostpdl 9.55.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Artifex Software, Inc. · Ghostscriptversion=ghostpdl 9.55.0

Published CVSS scores

9.9NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1059.004Unix Shell

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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