CVE-2019-3838: High severity ghostscript vulnerability

Published Feb 15, 2019
·
Updated

It was found that the forceput operator could be extracted from the DefineResource method in ghostscript before 9.27. A specially crafted PostScript file could use this flaw in order to, for example, have access to the file system outside of the constrains imposed by -dSAFER.

Other sources

The .forceput (or .forcedef depending on the ghostscript version) is still accessible via DefineResource. An attacker could use this flaw to bypass -dSAFER restriction and, for example, have access to the file system outside of the designated restricted directories.

Red Hat

Affected Software

20 affected componentsFixes available
debian/ghostscript
9.27~dfsg-2+deb10u59.27~dfsg-2+deb10u99.53.3~dfsg-7+deb11u69.53.3~dfsg-7+deb11u510.0.0~dfsg-11+deb12u210.0.0~dfsg-11+deb12u110.02.0~dfsg-2
debian/ghostscript<=9.26a~dfsg-0+deb9u1, <=9.26a~dfsg-2
9.27~~dc1~dfsg-19.27~dfsg-19.26a~dfsg-0+deb9u2
redhat/ghostscript<9.27
9.27
Artifex Ghostscript<9.27
redhat Ansible Tower=3.3
redhat Enterprise Linux=5.0
redhat Enterprise Linux=6.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop=7.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Server=7.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus=7.6
redhat Enterprise Linux Server Eus=7.6
redhat Enterprise Linux Server Tus=7.6
redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation=7.0
Fedoraproject Fedora=28
Fedoraproject Fedora=29
Fedoraproject Fedora=30
openSUSE Leap=15.0
openSUSE Leap=42.3
Debian Debian Linux=8.0
Debian Debian Linux=9.0

Event History

Mar 25, 2019
CVE Published
via MITRE·06:30 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·06:30 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·07:29 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Free Weekly Intel

Don't miss critical vulnerabilities

Join thousands of security professionals who receive our weekly digest of trending CVEs, zero-days, and exploited vulnerabilities.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is CVE-2019-3838?

CVE-2019-3838 is a vulnerability in the ghostscript software before version 9.27 that allows a specially crafted PostScript file to have access to the file system outside of the constraints imposed by -dSAFER.

2

How does CVE-2019-3838 affect ghostscript?

CVE-2019-3838 affects ghostscript versions before 9.27.

3

What is the severity of CVE-2019-3838?

The severity of CVE-2019-3838 is high, with a severity value of 5.5.

4

How can I fix the CVE-2019-3838 vulnerability?

To fix the CVE-2019-3838 vulnerability, it is recommended to update ghostscript to version 9.27 or later.

5

Where can I find more information about CVE-2019-3838?

You can find more information about CVE-2019-3838 on the official ghostscript bug tracker at https://bugs.ghostscript.com/show_bug.cgi?id=700576 and the Redhat security advisory at https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2018-16509.

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