CVE-2021-45949

Interpreter crash via unchecked operand-stack pops

Published Dec 31, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Heap-based buffer overflow in Artifex Ghostscript GhostPDL 9.50 through 9.54.0 allows local users to crash the interpreter. The sampled_data_continue function uses unchecked pop operations that do not handle operand-stack extension blocks, causing sampled_data_sample to access an invalid stack and sampled_data_finish to write beyond a heap buffer. Processing a crafted PostScript function is required, and the documented consequence is an interpreter crash without supported disclosure or modification impact.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.40%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Heap-based buffer overflow in Artifex Ghostscript GhostPDL 9.50 through 9.54.0 allows local users to crash the interpreter. The sampled_data_continue function uses unchecked pop operations that do not handle operand-stack extension blocks, causing sampled_data_sample to access an invalid stack and sampled_data_finish to write beyond a heap buffer. Processing a crafted PostScript function is required, and the documented consequence is an interpreter crash without supported disclosure or modification impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-45949
Published
Dec 31, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-787
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
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.

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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

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write

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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