CVE-2024-46951

Code execution via unchecked Pattern implementation pointer

Published Nov 10, 2024 · Updated Nov 3, 2025

Code execution in the Pattern color-space handler in Artifex Software Ghostscript before 10.04.0 allows attackers to run code via crafted PostScript. The patterncomponent function reads the Implementation array element and casts it to gs_pattern_instance_t without checking that it is a Pattern 1 or Pattern 2 structure. Exploitation requires Ghostscript to process attacker-controlled PostScript, and successful code runs with the privileges of the Ghostscript process.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.36%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code execution in the Pattern color-space handler in Artifex Software Ghostscript before 10.04.0 allows attackers to run code via crafted PostScript. The patterncomponent function reads the Implementation array element and casts it to gs_pattern_instance_t without checking that it is a Pattern 1 or Pattern 2 structure. Exploitation requires Ghostscript to process attacker-controlled PostScript, and successful code runs with the privileges of the Ghostscript process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-46951
Published
Nov 10, 2024
Updated
Nov 3, 2025
Vendor
Artifex Software, Inc.
Product
Ghostscript
Classifications
CWE-824, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 10, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 3, 2025Record 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=10.04.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Artifex Software, Inc. · Ghostscriptversion=10.04.0

Published CVSS scores

7.8UbuntuCVSS: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.

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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-824Access of Uninitialized Pointer
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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