CVE-2025-48708

PDF password disclosure via unsanitized option separator

Published May 23, 2025 · Updated May 24, 2025

Information disclosure in Artifex Software Ghostscript before 10.05.1 allows local users to recover PDF passwords from generated files. gs_lib_ctx_stash_sanitized_arg in base/gslibctx.c fails to sanitize the '#' option separator, leaving the full command line, including the password, at the start of an encrypted PDF. Exposure requires access to a password-protected PDF created with a vulnerable invocation and reveals its plaintext password without altering the document.

CVSS severity4.0
Medium
EPSS probability0.32%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Information disclosure in Artifex Software Ghostscript before 10.05.1 allows local users to recover PDF passwords from generated files. gs_lib_ctx_stash_sanitized_arg in base/gslibctx.c fails to sanitize the '#' option separator, leaving the full command line, including the password, at the start of an encrypted PDF. Exposure requires access to a password-protected PDF created with a vulnerable invocation and reveals its plaintext password without altering the document.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-48708
Published
May 23, 2025
Updated
May 24, 2025
Vendor
Artifex Software, Inc.
Product
Ghostscript
Classifications
CWE-212, CAPEC-168, T1552.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 23, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 24, 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=0 <10.05.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Artifex Software, Inc. · Ghostscriptversion=0 <10.05.1

Published CVSS scores

4.0MITRECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
3.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

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 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-212Improper Removal of Sensitive Information Before Storage or Transfer
CAPEC-168Windows ::DATA Alternate Data Stream
T1552.001Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files

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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