CVE-2018-16509: Critical severity debian linux vulnerability

Published Aug 21, 2018
·
Updated

An issue was discovered in Artifex Ghostscript before 9.24. Incorrect "restoration of privilege" checking during handling of /invalidaccess exceptions could be used by attackers able to supply crafted PostScript to execute code using the "pipe" instruction.

Other sources

It was discovered that the ghostscript /invalidaccess checks fail under certain conditions. A specially crafted PostScript document could possibly exploit this to bypass the -dSAFER protection and, for example, execute arbitrary shell commands.

Red Hat

Affected Software

16 affected componentsFixes available
redhat/ghostscript<9.24
9.24
debian/ghostscript
9.53.3~dfsg-7+deb11u79.53.3~dfsg-7+deb11u910.0.0~dfsg-11+deb12u610.04.0~dfsg-2
Debian Debian Linux=8.0
Debian Debian Linux=9.0
Artifex Ghostscript<9.24
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=14.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=16.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=18.04
redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop=6.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop=7.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Server=6.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Server=7.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Server Eus=7.5
redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation=6.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation=7.0
Artifex Gpl Ghostscript<9.26

Event History

Sep 5, 2018
CVE Published
via MITRE·06:00 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·06:00 AM
Description
Jan 11, 2024
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·10:53 PM
Description
Sep 15, 2024
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·10:51 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is CVE-2018-16509?

CVE-2018-16509 is a vulnerability in Artifex Ghostscript before version 9.24 that allows attackers to execute code using the "pipe" instruction.

2

How severe is CVE-2018-16509?

CVE-2018-16509 has a severity rating of 7.8 out of 10, making it a critical vulnerability.

3

What software is affected by CVE-2018-16509?

CVE-2018-16509 affects Artifex Ghostscript versions before 9.24.

4

How can I fix CVE-2018-16509?

To fix CVE-2018-16509, update Artifex Ghostscript to version 9.24 or later.

5

Where can I find more information about CVE-2018-16509?

You can find more information about CVE-2018-16509 at the following references: [http://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git;a=commit;h=5516c614dc33662a2afdc377159f70218e67bde5](http://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git;a=commit;h=5516c614dc33662a2afdc377159f70218e67bde5), [http://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git;a=commit;h=78911a01b67d590b4a91afac2e8417360b934156](http://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git;a=commit;h=78911a01b67d590b4a91afac2e8417360b934156), [http://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git;a=commit;h=79cccf641486a6595c43f1de1cd7ade696020a31](http://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git;a=commit;h=79cccf641486a6595c43f1de1cd7ade696020a31)

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203