CVE-2021-45944

Interpreter crash via sampled-data use-after-free

Published Dec 31, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Use-after-free in Ghostscript GhostPDL 9.50 through 9.53.3 allows local users to crash the interpreter via crafted input. sampled_data_sample writes four bytes through a heap pointer after its allocation has been freed; sampled_data_continue and interp reach that path. Processing attacker-controlled input requires user interaction, and the documented consequence is a crash without confidentiality or integrity impact.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.36%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Ghostscript GhostPDL 9.50 through 9.53.3 allows local users to crash the interpreter via crafted input. sampled_data_sample writes four bytes through a heap pointer after its allocation has been freed; sampled_data_continue and interp reach that path. Processing attacker-controlled input requires user interaction, and the documented consequence is a crash without confidentiality or integrity impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-45944
Published
Dec 31, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499.004, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 31, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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

4.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
6.2SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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